CH 168

Then, after repeatedly practicing movements with my staff and short sword in the forest, and practicing channeling magic power into the Dark Crystal Short Sword, I felt the sun was beginning to tilt from the color of the sky and decided to return to the town.

As I walked out of the forest and onto the street, I saw horse-drawn wagons, merchants, and adventurers heading toward the gate one after another.

Adventurers without luggage. Adventurers carrying large sacks. Adventurers with carts in tow. It is evening and they are returning with the day’s harvest.

Their expressions vary. Those who are towing heavy carts are looking relieved, and those who have little luggage are looking tired or serious…

As I walked along the street toward the town, mingling with such a group, I noticed a cart being towed by an adventurer moving ahead—or rather, a thing protruding from it.

The cart was covered with a cloth, so I couldn’t see much inside, but there were legs sticking out from the edge of the cloth. From the shape of its legs, I guessed it was a horse or a deer or something along those lines. It must be a monster that lives around here.

Well, in Japanese, the word “idiot” is a combination of the characters for “horse” and “deer,” so both the horse and the deer must be in a lot of trouble. I wrote down the information about the new monster in a corner of my mind while thinking about unimportant things. [T/N: 馬鹿 or “baka” or idiot, 馬 or “uma” or horse, & 鹿 or “shika” or deer.]

When I was in Rankfurt before, I used to hunt El Sheep by pulling a cart like that, but thanks to the Goddess’s Blessing, I can pull a heavy cart with El Sheep on it, which is different from common sense in Japan, so it’s a bit interesting. It was the same when I cut down a tree with a short sword made of Dark Crystal earlier, but because my physical ability has improved, I can do things that I would not have been able to do in Japan.

However, the fun thing can also cause a bit of a sensory discrepancy, and there are some slight problems.

For example, by looking at the width of the drainage ditch next to the road, I can usually tell if I can or cannot jump over it. If I feel that I can jump over, I can usually jump over, but the feeling of “I can jump over” is momentarily mixed with the noise of “I can’t jump over”.

There is still a gap between my memory and reality, and there are moments when I feel a momentary lapse or hesitation, and I still feel that I am not used to my own body. I don’t think it is a psychological thing, though I don’t make any mistakes in the actual force.

Whatever it is, I need to get used to it.

Following the cart of the previous adventurer, we pass through the gate and enter the town.

“I’m buying Pona grass! Does Anybody have any?” (Merchant)

“Hey, brother, you, there! How about 30 gold coins for that Knock Deer?” (Merchant)

“I’m buying any meat! And I mean anything!” (Merchant)

Behind the gate was a crowd of adventurers and merchants trying to buy monster materials from them.

It had been a long time since I had seen this environment.

When I used to be in the labyrinth city of Elem, the front of the dungeon was like this every day, and it was the same in front of the gate in Rankfurt. Especially in the north, where El Sheep often come out. But in the small villages, there were not so many adventurers, and there was no festive atmosphere like this.

I was nostalgic for the atmosphere I hadn’t seen in such a long time and was enjoying myself a little. But this time I had nothing to sell, so I walked quickly through the adventurers toward the Clan House.

“Hmm?”

On the way there, I glanced at a signboard with a picture of clothes out of the corner of my eye, and it almost reminded me of something.

A picture of clothes. A sign with a picture of clothes told me it was a store that sold clothes, other fabrics, and possibly leather goods…

I wondered if there was anything I need with fabric or leather products… Hmmm…

“Ah!”

Well, I believe I was going to buy a carrying bag for Shion. I’ve had a lot going on lately and forgot about it.

I managed to dig it up from the corner of my memory and opened the door of the store, which was showing its age while remembering what I wanted to do.

The distinctive smell of tanned leather flowed out of the store on the breeze from the door. A few clothes and leather goods lined up in the dimly lit store. An old woman sewing cloth together in the back of the store and the flickering light of a candle beside her.

I entered the store, closed the door behind me, and turned my head to see the old woman at the back of the store.

“Are you looking for something?” (Old Lady)

“Do you have a small bag?”

When I replied, the old woman pointed to the wall and said, “Well, then, I guess that would be around here.”

I looked that way and saw several small bags hooked to the wall. I thanked the old woman and looked at the bags one by one.

A shoulder bag, waist pouch bag, and backpack bag. Some are made of cloth, some of leather, and some with composite materials. There are many different patterns, but which one is best? I already have a backpack, so maybe not a backpack type. And a shoulder bag would be uncomfortable because it would flap around every time I walked. Maybe a waist pouch type?

With this in mind, I chose a leather bag that looked spacious inside from among the waist pouch-type bags.

In terms of size and shape, it should be more comfortable than the inside of the hood.

“Shion. It’s your new home, how’s this?”

“Kyu?” (Shion)

I lightly shake the hood and ask Shion to come out.

Shion climbs up on my shoulder and looks down at my bag from there.

I lifted the bag up and snapped open the entrance so I could check it properly, and Shion poked his head inside to check it, sniffed, and said, “Kyu!”, as if to say, “Come on, no.” and went back inside the hood.

“Eh! Is no good?”

“Haha, that’s just the way it is. The humans decide things based on logic, but monsters and animals live and decide differently. Human logic is not applicable to them.” (Woman)

“…Well, that’s right.”

I then showed some bags to Shion but didn’t get a good response.

In other words, I guess he is saying, “I like it in the hood and I don’t want to leave.”

I had no choice but to give up this time.