Otoko Nara Ikkokuichijou no Aruji o Mezasa Nakya, ne? - Chapter 258

Chapter 188 - (Chapter 258): Troublesome Matter 1

Year 7446, Month 9, Day 1



Around the time we returned to the surface it was just before the date was about to change. Both of us were exhausted(Though in degrees of exhaustion I was beyond Miduchi) from trying to learn {Water Breathing}, and from the overwhelming fatigue I just wanted to fall over into bed a moment sooner.

However, I also felt a strong hunger at the same time so for the time being we decided to eat something and then sleep. Though I say that there's almost no restaurants open at this time. It's not as if there's none at all but they're all taverns and if we just casually showed our faces and by chance we encounter someone from the {Slaughterers} I'm sure they would let us go for a while.

It couldn't be helped so we returned to the inn we left the carriage as Miduchi and I ended up eating the emergency use preserved foods which aren't tasty at all. Of course, I could have told the guy standing at the front reception to take out the smoked Neisun that's a gift for Zenom from the refrigerator but as expected I would feel bad doing that.

We put the dried meat into hot water soaking it and then at the same time put the biscuit or cookie-like hard baked crackers into the hot water to soak before slowly biting into them along with the water. Thinking it was better than nothing I had everyone hold on to some but it's really just barely better than nothing and you can't even compliment it as being okay or easy to eat. Since it's a waste I'm having it consumed once every two months before they go back but because I don't want to eat it I've always forced it on to the combat slaves to eat. But, obviously it's reputation isn't very good.

Since it couldn't be helped, it's still better than throwing it away so I started selling it to a restaurant in the back slum areas for a price that's close to free. That restaurant sells dried meat and biscuits boiled in water along with the husks of oats {oatmeal}, as {Premium.Porridge} for a cheap price to those with a low income.

"So Cal*rie.Mate really was good tasting.."
"Wait, it's still too soon to eat right.."
"I'm in the hard noddle eating faction, you know that right?"
"It's not ramen."
"I mean, because I'm hungry~"
"Ah, really, I'll eat it too!"

".."
".."

"Hard..."
"Ha~ I feel like my teeth are going to break."
"Yeah, it's no good if we don't soak it for longer."
"It was too soon."
"Right."

".."
".."

"..Ah, the meat is already almost.."
"Oh, it works!"
"Yeah, it's good. It's properly become soup."
"Yeah, if it's just this much then you can bite through it."
"Though it's a bit hard I'm sure this is about right."
"After all it's meat right, meat. Meat and fish. Proteins from animals are important."
"You actually feel like you're eating right."

".."
".."

"I ate~ I ate~"
"We ate quite a bit right.."

In the end in just this one meal we ate over one full day of preserved food. Well, preserved food is limited to just being non-daily use and one meals worth of amount of preserved food is really only the bare minimum amount of calories so putting that aside(Even that isn't anything great. It's not like it's highly nutritious food. It's just that it fills your stomach well in comparisons to it's volume and since it's hard and you have to slowly eat it you feel like you've eaten a reasonable amount), the amount itself for 4 meals worth is only about 1.5 normal meals I'm sure.

Ah~ eating something like this I remember the past.

What you say? Hard biscuits, candy, orange spread, and sausage cans. When doing practice exercises for the JGSDF* it's one of the menus we eat combat provision type I. The fundamentals that are the hard biscuits and candy haven't changed since the Meiji era and are historically correct with the menu number I. Compared to these biscuits that aren't good at all and feel like your teeth are going to crack it was almost as delicious as a full course French meal. Particularly the orange spread and canned sausage that were added since it became the SDF are superb and even the hard biscuits and candy weren't bad to eat while outside.

Among the veteran members there were even some who liked the hard biscuits more than canned meals because you can eat them while moving or during short breaks and they're not just easy to eat but taste good, there was even some who ate them out of interest and said they never get tired of them. The main ingredient for the hard biscuits was wheat flour and then after that is salt, sugar, and sesame seeds and the rest is the same as bread, the candy could be replaced with rock candy as well.

Also..Mu. Canned sausage huh?

That, the water from the sausages though, if you open up the can and heat it up before eating it was considerably good. We have no cans but there's already sausage. Though when it comes to just the orange spread since we don't have rice, I don't know the method to make starch syrup and even if I substitute it with malt sugar I'm sure it would lead to that flavor. It's disappointing from the bottom of my heart but well~ I guess it's fine. It's plenty with jam.

Umu. Because I remembered the hard biscuits in an unexpected place the menu(a portion) that I'll be feeding to my future army for meals was decided. We should make hard biscuits into a standard right. I'll have Giberuti make them later.

"Fu~ After eating a lot of I'm starting to get tired."
"Nn..Yeah~"

Certainly I've started to get tired after eating.

"It's fine to sleep but let's review one last time..Alright. Shall we try performing {Water Breathing}?"

I put the face washing tub on top of hte table and filled it with water before moving Miduchi in front of it.

"Eeeh~ Nn..Well..I guess it can't be helped. Well then..Hmph!!"

I use Identify on Miduchi as she's started controlling her mana for the sake of using the spell {Water Breathing}.
Her MP is 24. It takes 30 minutes or so for her to control the mana so three times would be difficult but I'm sure she can manage it twice. I guess I'll start getting used to {Iron Skin}.

".."
".."

..I did it. My body is surrounded in a faint blue spell light. It succeeded. Well, I've already succeeded a number of times so you could say it's only obvious though.

"Vohe!! Goho!! Gehwo! Wwa~!! Wwa~!! Wa~ha~"

I guess Miduchi failed huh? Her MP decreased by 12 but she's recovered 6 so it's currently at 18. She can still do it.

"Now, one more time."
"..Eh...Yeah, got it..Hmph!!"

Now then, I'll start once more as well...

".."
".."

"Go~he!! Gehwo! Wwa~!! Wa~ha~"

Miduchi failed again huh? But it seems she's gotten quite a bit used to it. Her MP decreased by 12 but increased by 6 and it's now at 12. She can still do it. By the way, opposite to my will there's one part in the center of my body that still hasn't gotten tired. It's a healthy 18 year old body after all. It's the so-called sleep demon something or other. The reason I went to the trouble of saying something that sounded appropriate to have Miduchi use her MP is also this though.

"Now, one more time."
"Eh? Pretty soon.."
"One more time."
"Yeah..Hmph!!"

Alright. With this Miduchi's MP has hit 0. Whether this spell succeeds or fails I'm sure the symptoms of mana exhaustion will show up soon. Right now she's just somehow managing because she's in a state of extreme concentration.

Now then, I will once more as well...

".."
".."

I guess I've reasonably started to get used to the spell {Iron Skill} as well, I've started to be able to activate it in just 25 minutes of concentration. Miduchi has both of her hands on the washing tub and is looking at the surface of the water without moving an inch. Even when it comes to concentrating for using a spell, the fact that she's able to continue it for this long of a period even excluding how familiar she is with spells can't be done with an ordinary mental strength.

Back when we first met on the 14th floor of the dungeon we were both still 16 but even then we had a considerable amount of resistance towards mana exhaustion. The reason she got disheveled like an idiot was because she identified that I was the one there and because her memories has returned.

I guess I'll start making preparations while I can now.

Using my mana to pretty close to the limit pouring it into an {Anti-Magic Field}..takes a bit of time so I start using the usual 700 MP or so version several times to reduce my MP. Miduchi's already sweating quite a bit from how hard she's concentrating. Though it's the same for me. Something like a shower is fine later.

I touch the clock magic tool and the date changed long ago as it's about 2 am now.

I take off my shirt and take a rubber pack out from my wallet before preparations are complete. After Identifying and my MP has cut past 50 as well. Just in case I check that the hinge is set on the door and then take of my pants and underwear.

I bit open the edge of the rubber pack and take one out, before equipping it right away...

"..Gobo..."

Huh? Did she, succeed? Hurry~hurry~ I need to use up my MP as well. Identify Identify.

"..Gobo...Nn, I did it."

It seems she succeeded at using the spell {Water Breathing}. With this now as long as she has time she can use it anytime. But, it's great she succeeded at the very end.

"..What's with that appearance.."

Because she succeeded with the spell {Water Breathing}, Miduchi said with an amazed tone of voice as water was coming out of her nose but she quickly noticed her own abnormality and licked her lips with a smile that gave me shivers. Her forked tongue lewdly crawls along her lips.

He~ what do you mean Condition: Normal.
Exactly what about this is Normal.
Though I'm Normal as well..I already can't Identify anymore.

Almost simultaneously one of the primal desires rises from the depths of my body and goes through the center of my head.
I'm still tired but even more than that my brain is ruled by a thick and burning desire.

Ku..
Kufu..

Even the woman in front of me Miduchi has already started to impatiently take off her shirt without trying to resist her desires.

Uhheee.
I'll help you out.

"Nn..Really..Ah.."

Ah, I forgot to take off my socks. Somehow..it's uncool.




..........................................




Year 7446, Month 9, Day 2



We slept until close to noon.
Before going to eat lunch we returned the carriage and after taking back the smokes we left with them we left the inn. By the time we returned to Boil Manor it was just barely before they were about to go to lunch and since we had the chance I had them wait for a bit so we could all go and eat together.

Since we're entering the dungeon again starting the day after tomorrow, in order to order Giberuti to purchase the necessary consumables I left without drinking tea and went to the restaurant Giberuti is often eating lunch.

He wasn't there.

Chi..Even though he's just a slave, not being around when I need him is a subject for point reduction. And while I was imagining completely unreasonable things, my imagination itself started to seem idiotic so I decided to go and buy it myself since it couldn't be helped.

It's been a while since I last went shopping for the food and such we use in the dungeon. Around the time we started going to the 2nd floor we had meals in the dungeon so I ended up going to buy it. I still didn't trust Zulu or Angela completely at that time. I couldn't bring myself to do something like leaving money in the hands of slaves. Come to think of it, I left money to Giberuti right from the start...
Somehow he has a face that makes it easy to trust him, that guy.

It was when I was thinking that and walking down the street with shops that deal in food.

"It's fine if you just convey it to Greed-sama."
"That's right, it's simple right? We just want to request that he have a meal together with the mistress matching up with his schedule. Why are refusing it to that extent?"
"I'm very sorry, I'm not a person who understands social standing so.."
"I've said it countless times right. We're squires that serve Baron Refaisu's family. It's fine if you confirm our status."
"That's not the problem. I've been firmly instructed by Greed not to convey things like that so.."
"Isn't that why we're here lowering our heads asking right. Can't you do something there!"

When I was passing by a certain store, I heard the voices of several people arguing from inside. It's a store we often use but since it seemed crowded I was going to put it off and pass by to go to a different store. One of the voices from inside was Giberuti. I feel like I've heard the other voices somewhere as well...

"Hey~ you. I'm certain you said the words {Slaughterers} right? You're someone closely related to them right? Could it be you're adventuring together with the {Slaughterers}? Though that doesn't seem to be the case with that body."
"Well, if we can just get Greed-dono to meet our mistress then.."
"That's right. It's not like we have any intention of harming Greed-dono. We just want to become acquaintances."
"I'm truly very sorry."

Ah, I remembered. Two months or so ago, it's the group Zulu and I passed by when we were clearing through the dungeon. If I remember correctly, it was Sir Nokkufyuri, right. I can remember that voice as well. The remaining three people are honestly not in my memory. It seems that mistress or whatever isn't around either and I feel like they're missing one more woman as well.

"Hmm, Ran, hold him down. {Status Open}."
"Ah..What are you doing!"
"Hey, stop!"
"..I thought something was strange and after all aren't you one of the slaves owned by Viscount Greed's family. Just a mere slave shouldn't be talking back to us. It's the wish of our mistress."
"He's a slave? You scum, our mistress is a sub-Noble you know? Even though you're just a slave do you intend on opposing Baron Refaisu's family!?"
"Certainly I'm a slave. Putting aside if that noble mistress or whatever were to directly order me.."

Ku..These bastards, they forcefully looked at Giberuti's status huh?
I can't believe them.
Well, whatever.
If I feel it's necessary I use Identify after all.
Come to think of it the voice the woman called Ran matches up with the idiot woman who was wearing chain-mail.

"Umm, did my slave make any kind of mistake?"
"Ah..Master!"

While standing in the doorway of the food store I called out and right after noticing me Giberuti knelt down.

"Did he do some kind of wrongdoing that required forcefully looking at his status? How about it? Giberuti."
"No, I haven't done anything."

I said it with strong tone of voice that wouldn't allow excuses.

"The person them self is saying this but...If my slave has made any kind of mistake then I'll apologize for it."

"Are you sub-Noble Greed-dono? Hn?"

It seems that Sir Nokkufyuri remembered my face but didn't have any confidence in it. He's looking at me somewhat suspiciously.

"Yeah, I'm Alan.Greed. And, what in the world is this?"

I said while looking head on at the face of Sir Nokkufyuri who seems to be the highest rank and leader of their group. It's considerably bad manners to forcefully look at someone's status even though they weren't doing anything wrong at all. Though I say that this Sir Nokkufyuri tried to stop it but. Since he wasn't able to stop it he's equally guilty. No, it's not a crime though.

"Ah, finally..However, I feel like somewhere..Ah!"

If I'm certain this Elf is 20 years old right. This brat. Answer my question.

""Ah!""

It seems the other members recognized me as well. Some of them even went from a face of realization to a bitter expression like they had eaten a bug.

"I'll ask once more. Did my slave do something wrong?"

"..!! That is, I'm very sorry for our rudeness. Your excellency's slave did nothing wrong at all."
"James!"
"Your excellency sub-Noble Greed! We are.."
"Please meet with our mistress!"

On the side of Sir Nokkufyuri who apologized and politely lowered his head, the remaining three were all about to say something. Sir Nokkufyuri raised his right hand a bit cutting them all off partway with his head still lowered though.

"Is that so? I understand. If there's no problem then we'll take our leave here. Giberuti, stand. We're going."
"Yes."

I said that before trying to turned around and leave.
It's not like eating a meal with that mistress or whatever is anything much at all, but I'm sure, it's that right? Sell us some armor or that sort of thing right? I won't sell it. It's no good. If you want it then wait in line after you've made it into the first or second knight groups. Well~ the entire first knight group should be complete pretty soon. It's not like all of them are buying it after all.

"Please wait just a moment, your excellency! Please listen to what we have to say."

If it's listening, didn't I already do it the last time right? It can't be helped, it seems they won't back off if I don't properly listen once more and then turn them down.

"What is it?"

"I'm a knight of the Kingdom's third knight group, Jemikku.Nokkufyuri. At the same time I'm also a retainer that serves Baron Refaisu's family as well. Just a moment ago our retainers were very rude to you. Please forgive us."

Sir Nokkufyuri politely lowered his head once again. Ah, a retainer is vassal that serves some noble and they're the so-called "Daimyo's retainer" is the meaning of the word but it also has the same meaning as a apprentice knight{squire} in the knight group as well. Since both of them had the exact same "Esuto" pronunciation in the Ragudarios Language{Common.Language} so it's complicating. Ah, putting aside the pronunciation, you already know the meanings are overlapping right?

"Yes, I've already received an apology for that matter so it's fine."

"Umm, that is, tonight or tomorrow night, if it's convenient for your schedule, would you please have a meal with, Yorire-sama, the eldest daughter of our master Baron Refaisu's family? Yorire-sama is a member of the third knight group as well although she's still just a squire but.."

Ah, really~ Well, I guess it's fine to properly turn things down there huh?

"Is it fine if I inquire as to the business?"

"Umm, that is..How do I put this..I can't say it myself."

Sir Nokkufyuri acted like it was extremely difficulty to say, also, he apologized with a vague reply. Of course he did just request to sell him armor the other day and I turned it down after all. If I remember correctly the mistress Yorire from that time said something about directly requesting it from me. Yes~yes. I'll directly listen to it and properly turn it down.

"..When and where should I go?"

I was told the time and place. I thought the place would be a restaurant but it was different. It seems they're going to have catering in a room at the Elm Tree Manor they're staying. I guess they're considerably rich.