Chapter 54
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I was invited to the village that wors.h.i.+ps the G.o.d bird, where the survivors of the kokuyoku race are living. There are a few things I absolutely have to do here.
One is preparing my physical condition. It seems the time we can receive the G.o.d bird's trial relates to the stars, so we can take it in a few days. I'm grateful that we can use this as our base until then.
At noon, we will raise our levels and eat talent value-raising monsters so we can become stronger. I don't want to lose chances where we can earnestly raise our levels. When I think about it like that, Buranikka's war was a failure. If I had been in a party with Flare, we could have hit at random with wide area magic and raise our levels. Eve and Setsuna would have become much stronger if we did that. Both their talent values are quite high, but their levels are still not that high.
"At any rate… it seems their lifestyles aren't that good." (Kearuga)
While looking around the village, my voice leaks out. Everyone is thin, and they have no energy.
"The land around here is infertile, so our crops are insufficient. Even if we try to obtain blessings from the forest, there are too many strong monsters that we can't hunt or harvest sufficiently. It would have been fine if we could control monsters like other demons, but only the G.o.d bird-sama has been allowed for us, the kokuyoku race." (Miru)
I see, although they are working hard at farming, their crops are insufficient and there are few methods to obtain food other than that. They had probably been receiving backing from the kokuyoku race's country until now.
After losing that, life became difficult, but having said that, they are in a situation where they can't escape to another country either.
"I understand the situation. Eve, you're called himesama by them, so I'm sure your social status is high." (Kearuga)
"That's a kind of unpleasant way of saying it." (Eve)
"I don't have any bad intentions, but don't you think that as a princess, you should save your people?" (Kearuga)
Since I have quite a diligent personality, I decided to earn points with Eve. While I'm at it, to live comfortably in this village, I should also let the villagers remember me as a good person.
"No way, is that…" (Eve)
"Let's go hunting. If we get a bear or a huge wild boar, they will have plenty to eat. Judging from the appearance, there are around a hundred people in this village. If you work hard, you will be able to let all the villagers eat to their heart's content. It might just be a temporary measure, but it should be better than not having an occasional feast." (Kearuga)
If we meet a large wild boar, it will amount to two hundred and fifty kilograms. Around 60% of it is edible, so it would be a hundred and fifty kilograms. With that much meat, all the villagers will be able to eat to their heart's content. If we hunt three or four, side dishes won't be a problem for a while.
Adding some colour to the villagers' days of enduring adversity and difficulty will surely encourage them. The middle-aged man called Miru-jii opens his eyes widely.
"That would be appreciated! If we are able to obtain meat, everyone will surely be delighted by the feast!" (Miru)
"Miru-jii or *whatever, look forward to it. Hunting is my speciality. When we camp, my party usually procures our food locally." (Kearuga) (TL Note: *とやら. What I wrote sounds really rude, but this doesn't sound that rude in j.a.panese. とやら shows uncertainty, and if you guys watched Natsume Yuujinchou, most of the youkai that don't know him quite well call him "Natsume-Toyara(とやら)" since they are uncertain/calling him a name that someone else told them… yeah I give up, I'm bad at explaining.)
Apart from wanting to earn points with Eve and the villagers, I also want to eat delicious food. In this state, they don't have the room to welcome us and it would be awkward to make them overdo it. Therefore, we will conversely give them food to eat.
"Suspicious, to think Kearuga would ordinarily say something like such a good person." (Eve)
"That's so cruel to doubt me. At my core, I'm a good person. I'm just a bit uncooperative and won't become obedient." (Kearuga)
"Kearuga, I think those words are an insult to all the people in this world who are truly good people." (Eve)
"No matter how you think about it, aren't you being more rude!?" (Kearuga)
'I'm a good person at my core.' I don't know any words more convenient than those. Afterwards, Miru-jii gave us one vacant house that's okay to use. It means that our party is allowed to use it during our stay in the village. I can't say it's that much of a good house, but there is a ceiling. That much should be plenty.
After leaving our luggage, we immediately entered the mountains. We split up into two groups and are taking action.
Freya who can use【Heat Detection】to find prey and Setsuna who has hunting knowledge and experience paired up. And then, I paired up with Eve and Ellen. As long as our group has me, we should be able to manage somehow.
Splitting into two groups is more efficient for raising our levels and hunting. Since both parties have a hero, the EXP is twofold.
If Freya and I were together, the EXP would be fourfold, but if our hunting efficiency becomes twofold, then we would still get that EXP, and since we promised to bring back plenty of food, I want to gain numbers.
While humming unconcernedly, I throw a knife without delay. The knife flies like an arrow, and brings down one pheasant that was flying in the sky. I pick it up, pull out my knife, drain the blood and put it in the basket on my back. Pheasants are quite delicious. It's a good omen.
"Kearuga, you're so skillful it's unpleasant." (Eve)
"I am used to hunting after all. Maybe I hadn't told you. I was the only son of an apple farming family, and while I wasn't taking care of the apples, I would go hunting together with my father." (Kearuga)
My status has jumped up compared to back then, but I learnt the fundamental movements.
"You were in an apple farming family? It doesn't suit you. I thought you were a thief, bandit or a pirate." (Eve)
"It seems I need to slowly have a discussion with you, Eve. It's true that I was a virtuous and diligent apple farmer. Do you want me to make you an apple pie next time? I'm quite good at making pastry." (Kearuga)
"It
She's saying quite horrible things. What does she think I am.
"Kearuga-niisama's apple pie seems delicious." (Ellen)
On the other hand, former princess Norn… Ellen obediently believes what I say. Haha, she's a cute one. I'll reward her in plenty on top of the bed.
"For the obedient Ellen, I'll let you eat Eve's portion of the apple pie." (Kearuga)
"Uwaa! Lovely!" (Ellen)
"Ah, I'm going to eat it as well!" (Eve)
It's a pleasant spectacle. I'm not particularly a lolicon, but I enjoy it when I see little girls have fun. Now, we shouldn't be talking anymore. I've found some prey.
"Both of you, quiet. I found a monster with my【Presence Detection】. Hou, it's just right. I thought it would be nice to get a wild boar, but to think it would be a wild boar type monster." (Kearuga)
I put power into my【Jade Eyes】. My eyesight is strengthened, and I perceive a monster two hundred meters ahead with my eyes. Furthermore, my【Jade Eyes】sees through the monster's power.
The enemy's name is Tyrant Boar. it's a large wild boar type monster. It seems just one would have around four hundred kilograms. The tip of it's nose is harder than any high quality rock, it has a brutal fang, and although one eye is smashed, the eye on the other side is s.h.i.+ning with the colour of blood.
Monsters are afflicted with miasma, so normally eating it would be poison itself, but it can quickly change into a feast if I【Purify】it with my power. That looks appetizing. Huge ones are good. Eve opens her mouth.
"A wild boar type monster? Is it big?" (Eve)
"Yeah, it's huge. Normal wild boars are no match for it's size. It has around four hundred kilograms." (Kearuga)
"Yay, now everyone in the village can have a feast." (Eve)
Eve is delightful she can please her friends. … If I erase my presence and suddenly cut the Tyrant Boar's neck, it should be easy to kill it in one hit. However, I purposely don't choose that. Since we're doing this, I decided to train Eve.
"Eve, it doesn't matter where, just point your finger." (Kearuga)
"Li-. like this?" (Eve)
Eve stretches her finger forward. I embrace Eve from her back, and point her finger exactly at the Tyrant Boar's temporal region. Eve can't see it. There are countless obstacles that obstruct her field of vision. Only I can see it due to【Jade Eye’s】clairvoyance ability.
"Wai-, Kearuga, what are you doing!?" (Eve)
"Listen, Eve. Despite it's looks, the Tyrant Boar is quite sensitive to presences, and it's a coward. It's sense of smell is also good. There's the concern that it might notice us if we approach it and run away. That thing is a fast runner. If it runs, you probably won't be able to catch up." (Kearuga)
"Eh, Kearuga, no way." (Eve)
"I want to aim at it from here. If you fire your light magic straight from your finger, it will pierce through its brain in one hit. Now, let's do it. It's standing still right now, and if you fire in the direction I pointed, you can defeat it." (Kearuga)
Eve starts trembling. She must be scared.
"Impossible, it's impossible. Kearuga, you do it. Since, if I make a mistake." (Eve)
Eve isn't just scared of missing and being shamed. She's afraid of not being able to let the kokuyoku race, who are waiting in antic.i.p.ation, have a feast because of her own failure.
"If you miss, it will probably be surprised and run away. That would be terrible. We might not be able to find any more big game like this." (Kearuga)
"Please, impossible, Kearuga, you do it. If you defeat this one, I will do the next." (Eve)
Her voice is shaking. Eve also knows starvation. Therefore, she also knows how much the people of her same race are suffering. It's the critical moment whether she can let people of her same race who exceed one hundred eat to their heart's content or not. There's no way she wouldn't be scared.
"It would be impossible for me. I don't have the confidence to approach it without being noticed. Only you can bring it down. Or else, is it fine? It might run away while you're just idling like that you know?" (Kearuga)
Eve's trembling becomes bigger. To put pressure on her, I purposely lied to her, saying I can't do it.
I think the reason Eve isn't growing is because she doesn't have the resolution. When she fires magic, there is no desperateness in each shot. She thinks it's fine even if she misses. Therefore, she doesn't learn it even if she repeats it, and she doesn't study from her mistakes. Therefore, I made this situation where she has no choice but to be serious. Now, she is either going to keep grumbling that she can't do it, or resolve herself.
"I, I need to do it." (Eve)
Hou, she properly got the willingness. To use the light attribute magic, she gathers mana on her fingertip. She focuses only on the direction her finger is pointing.
This is my first time seeing Eve concentrate this seriously. … Her mana convergence ratio is good. Normally, Eve would have been just short of concentration around now, and her mana leaks without being able to collect.
"Kearuga, it really is fine if I just shoot from my finger tip, that's all I need to do, right? I can't see it, but it's fine right?" (Eve)
"Yeah, your light magic should be able to smash through all the obstacles and shoot it." (Kearuga)
It never curves. As long as the user shoots it, this overwhelmingly powerful light magic will certainly capture its target.
"Okay. I'll believe you." (Eve)
"Go for it, Eve." (Kearuga)
"Yeah… 【Arrow of Light】!" (Eve)
And then, one long straight beam of light fires from Eve's fingertip. It goes through trees, rocks and everything that blocks to path to the Tyrant Boar's temporal region, and shoots the target. I can see everything with【Jade Eyes】. There's a beautifully opened hole from the obstacles to the Tyrant Boar. …This is tremendous. The Tyrant Boar crumbles down.
"Hey, Kearuga, I, properly did it, everyone's feast, properly, properly." (Eve)
On the verge of tears, Eve comes clinging to my chest. I love this part about Eve.
"You properly defeated it. Let's go collect the corpse now. I have to drain the blood and【Purify】it. With that size, it will become a feast today, and if they preserve it, everyone's dining table in the village will be bustling for a few days." (Kearuga)
"Yay! That's good, if I missed, I wouldn't have been able to face everyone." (Eve)
Eve sits down on the spot. I smile, and stroke her head. Normally Eve would shyly knock me away, but she's giving herself to me.
"You did well. Remember the sensation of that magic you just used. It went right where you aimed, so you can do it well next time as well." (Kearuga)
"Yeah! I feel like that too. Thanks, Kearuga." (Eve)
Eve has certainly grown a lot. The Tyrant Boar is big game. It will become a feast, and we raised our levels as well. However, rather than that, Eve's growth itself is the greatest harvest.
We will gather in the meeting place when the sun goes down, and we have hunted three different types of monsters so far.
After draining the blood to make it lighter, I go to the meeting place while shouldering the Tyrant Boar with courage. Eve's growth is quite good, and all the monsters after that were found by me and killed by Eve. At this rate, she should become first rate in the blink of an eye. Well, since she's a demon king in the future, I know that as long as she has the chance, she could have grown from the start.
"Fufu, Kearuga, with this, I am a hero." (Eve)
"Yeah, that's a good achievement. You should be proud of it." (Kearuga)
"I'm happy. Since I was just being spoiled until now, I hadn't ever done something for others. I want to quickly return to the village, fufu." (Eve)
Eve is in such a good mood she is skipping. How lovely. We arrive at the meeting place. Eve's face is stiff. Setsuna is waving at us with all her power.
"Kearuga-sama, Setsuna worked hard. Hunted big game. Praise her." (Setsuna)
Setsuna and Freya are already at the meeting place. Setsuna also brought game. And it's a bear monster that is one size bigger than the wild boar Eve killed…
"Kearuga-sama." (Setsuna)
While swinging her wolf tail, Setsuna comes closer until she's right in front of me and swings her tail. With a cramped smile, I stroke her, and Setsuna jumps into my chest, embracing me.
"Amazing, big game. It was tiring to carry it. Everyone in the village will be glad." (Setsuna?)
I look at Eve's face. She has teary eyes.
"Setsuna you idioot!!" (Eve)
That was the moment when today’s hero went from Eve to Setsuna.
We bring back a gigantic bear and a gigantic wild boar monster. Seeing that, the villagers become greatly pleased.
At the start, they were cautious of it because it was monster meat, but they understood it from the existence of【Purify】and Eve saying she always eats it.
After that, several adults ate it and judged it was safe, so everyone rushed over. Miru-jii calls out to us, brings over big pots from every family with multiple villagers and started cooking an organ stew. They burnt a grand fire in the village's plaza, and started spit-roasting lumps of meat that are suspended on a ridiculously long skewer. Apart from that, all the women and children started making preserved food by pickling it in salt and smoking it.
The wild boar and the bear almost amount to one ton. Here is six hundred kilograms of edible parts. The large quant.i.ty of preserved food is distributed among every family. While we idly gaze at that situation, Miru-jjii comes over.
"We will have a festival when the sun sets! Please enjoy the kokuyoku race's traditional stew cuisine, Mirutagga, and the spit roasted Carubora!" (Miru)
Once he says that, he returns to his work. It seems he returned to preparing the gigantic spit-roast. Eve mutters a few words.
"This is nostalgic. When the kokuyoku race gets a big game, they would share the game equally like this. Without knowing that, you suggested you go hunt, but everyone is happy from reminiscing the past… so, thanks. Even you occasionally do good things." (Eve)
"Saying occasionally is unnecessary" (Kearuga)
"Today's Kearuga was a clean Kearuga." (Eve)
"I don't know the difference between with what I usually do though." (Kearuga)
An ale barrel is carried over. It seems they are treating us to ale for free. When the kokuyoku demons making the spit roast and the kokuyoku demons making the organ stew each shout out they finished cooking, everyone gathers all at once.
"Well, I guess we'll go too!" (Kearuga)
"Nn. Kearuga-sama, Setsuna will eat till the limit." (Setsuna)
"This sort of this is good as well, Kearuga-sama." (Freya)
"Setsuna, restrain yourself a little bit. …When you are serious, you'll eat everything after all." (Eve)
"Kearuga-niisama, let's quickly go." (Ellen)
Everyone seems to be having fun. At the start, it was to gain points with Eve and the kokuyoku race, whatever they say, I'm happy everyone is enjoying it.
The words of the old people are quite to the point. … Kindness is not for the sake of people. Well, we should also go. Today's ale, organ stew and spit-roast is not luxurious, but they are definitely the greatest feast.