The Weakest Tamer Began a Journey to Pick up Trash - Volume 3 - Chapter 170

Chapter 170:

She Saw Right Through Me!

I HUGGED CIEL’S NECK and squeezed my eyes shut. So soothing… I thought Sora had been all done surprising me…but that was naive. I really did tame myself an extraordinary slime. I wonder if all collapsed slimes are like that? Including…Flame, perhaps? I’d better not think about that too hard.

“Sorry, Ivy, but can we get going?” Druid sounded a bit hesitant.

I slowly opened my eyes. That’s right. Today’s the day I start working on a new sauce to go with onigiri. Okay, Ivy! You’ve got this.

“Thanks, Ciel. Come on, Sora, back in your bag. Flame, you…need to start staying awake more, I think.”

“Pu! Pu, puuu.”

“Teryu-ryu, ryuuu.”

I carefully picked up Flame, who was half-asleep, and placed it in the bag. It was still eating the same amount as before, so it seemed to be developing more slowly than Sora. Everybody grows at different rates, so I was going to watch patiently and let Flame grow at its own pace…but it sure was surprising how starkly different it was from Sora.

“We’re all ready to go. Sorry, Ciel, but I have to leave early today. I’m gonna work real hard and make a tasty sauce, okay?”

Mrrrow. 

Next time I visit, I want to stay until nightfall. But with all the gurbar activity, maybe I can’t do that? Druid would probably agree to it, but it’s the gatekeepers I’m worried about. If I didn’t come back by sunset, it’d cause a big stir… I can imagine pretty well what would happen.

“What’s up?”

“Oh, nothing. Just wishing I could stay and visit Ciel until nightfall.”

“Why can’t you? Ciel can easily protect you from the gurbars.”

“But would the gatekeepers be okay with that?”

“Oops, I forgot about them. They don’t know about Ciel, either. I can imagine the chaos that would cause if you didn’t show up before dark.”

Ha ha ha! Looks like we reached the same conclusion. As we walked back to town, we discussed possible ways we could convince the gatekeepers to let me stay out.

“It’s just no good,” Druid sighed. “I never realized how stubborn those guys were.”

“Yes, they’re all nervous Nellies.”

I worried them quite a bit just by going into the forest every day. Though they seemed to be a little more lenient now that Druid was with me.

“Okay, Ciel, we’ll have to say goodbye here. Thanks for walking with us.”

Mrrrow. Ciel purred and rubbed its face all over me. Then it gave Sora its customary lick goodbye before bounding off into the trees.

“Huh? Sora didn’t put up a fight today,” Druid said.

I looked up at Sora balancing on Druid’s head, but it was only quivering a little. Usually, it bounced all around after getting licked by Ciel.

“I guess not. Maybe Sora’s finally used to it?” I’m kind of gonna miss seeing Sora’s reaction, though. It was so funny. “Come on, Sora, it’s time to get back in your bag.”

“Puuu.”

Hm? “Sora, are you sleepy?”

“Puuu.”

Well, it did eat a humongous meal, then played a lot with Ciel afterward. It probably was pretty tired. I had Druid crouch down so I could gently take it off his head and place it in its bag.

“Is that why Sora didn’t bounce around?” Druid asked. “Because it’s sleepy?”

“I imagine so.”

Once we were back in town, we headed straight for Druid’s father’s shop. I wondered if he was ready for us.

“Good morning.”

“Oh, hello there, Druid. Long time no see.” A woman greeted us when we entered the shop. She looked older, so maybe she was Druid’s mother?

“Mom… Ohh, wow. It has been a while.”

Druid sounded so nervous I almost squealed. I clapped a hand over my mouth, but I could feel a sharp gaze on me, so I turned and looked the other way.

“Oh, you must be the kid who’s been teaching my foolish sons a lesson. I hope they haven’t been too aggravating.”

I’d only met two of her three “foolish sons” so far, and one of them was angry at me for some strange reasons of his own. I guess it was aggravating, but so was dealing with drunk party members, so I didn’t dwell on it. And as for Druid, he’d already taught me so many useful things that I hoped I wasn’t aggravating him with my ignorance.

“Nice to meet you. I’m Ivy. Your son Druid has been very good to me.” Let’s just forget about that other son of yours…

“Hee hee hee, oh, what a pretty young lady you are.”

Huh?! This’s the first time someone guessed my gender correctly on first sight!

Druid’s mother looked a bit flustered by my shocked face. “Oops! I’m sorry, um…”

“No, it’s okay. It’s just, you’re the first person who’s ever realized right away that I’m a girl. It was just a bit surprising.”

“Oh, really? Well, at first glance, I did think you were a boy; my husband said so, too. But after I got a closer look, it was clear you were a sweet little girl. No mistaking it. Right, Druid?”

Oh, wait! When did Druid find out?

“Yeahhh…right.” His voice sounded very flat.

“Druid? Wait, did you not know Ivy’s a girl?”

“Well, uh…I know now.”

Druid’s mother sighed, while Druid nervously proceeded to defend himself. I’d never seen Druid like that. There was something refreshing about it.

“Why do men always have to be like this?”

“Again, Mom, I said I know now.”

I bit my lip hard. Uh-oh…I’m gonna lose it any second.

“Ivy, we can all see how hard your shoulders are shaking.”

“Ah! Ha ha ha! Mr. Druid, I was doing so well until you had to go and say something!” It was no use. I was cracking up.

“What’s so funny?” Druid’s father had entered the room.

I managed to stuff my chuckles back inside and put on a straight face. “Good morning, sir.”

“Hellooo, there. Ready to get to work?”

“Yes, sir. I’m looking forward to it.”

“Dad, don’t make any unreasonable demands.” Druid seemed nervous again, but thankfully the conversation from a minute ago had loosened him up a little.

“I know, I know. So then—sorry to ask right off the bat, but can you steam me some ryce?”

That’s right. I forgot I was going to teach him how to steam rice. “Sure. Um, where should I cook it?” Would I be able to do it here at the shop?

“We have a kitchen in the back. Would you mind teaching us while you cook?”

“I’d be happy to, sir.”

Druid’s father took us to the back of the shop where the kitchen was. It was much bigger than I’d expected.

“The fire is over there.”

I looked where he was pointing and saw a stove big enough to fit a huge pot. It must be so nice to have a kitchen like this.

“I’ll get right to work,” I told him.

“Yes, please.”

As I got everything ready, Druid’s father stood beside me and pulled out a notepad. He asked me questions as I went and I tried to answer them as best I could, but I wasn’t always sure if what I was saying was correct.

“I’m sorry, there’s still a lot I don’t know myself.”

“Oh, no problem. You’ve already been able to tell me more than I’d hoped.”

That was good to hear. The three of us waited for the rice to finish steaming. I was still playing the cooking time by ear, so I was a little anxious.

“I think it’ll be okay, but I’m a bit worried since I made more than I usually do.”

“Ha ha ha! If you mess up, you can always start over. Ryce is one thing we have more than enough of.” With a chuckle, Druid’s father took off the lid. 

Urrrg, I’m so nervous. I took a big spoon from him and gave the rice a good fluff.

“Ooh! It’s looking good.” Thank goodness. I’d cooked way more than I did the previous day and his pot was bigger than mine, so I was really worried. But it turned out okay! This is big… I’m really proud of myself.

“So, are you going to make those grilled onigiri you told me about last night? We’ve got all kinds of ingredients here, and you’re free to use whatever you’d like,” he said, gesturing to a large assortment of bottles.

“Wow, you do have a lot. Are these all seasonings?”

“Yeah, they’re a bunch of sauces and spices from other towns and villages.”

He had quite the collection. He must have been as hard a worker as Druid said he was; you could see all the care he’d put into building his business. He’d even written descriptions of all the spices on the bottle labels.

So this is the man Druid respects the most…and I get to create a new recipe with him. I’m so happy right now.