CH 90

Chapter 90 – Glasses boy gets anxious about the early meeting

“Huh? What is this meat? Are you buying that?” Lisse asked me.

“I am.” I nodded.

After parting with the two women who are probably knights, I went to some stores with Lisse, who wanted to prepare for tomorrow.

However, since we’re just accompanying the hunting team, we don’t need any real tools.

This is especially true in Lisse’s case.

She’s not used to hunting yet, so it’s better to not have her carry unnecessary things.

If she’s carrying something unnecessary, she can do something unnecessary.

If she can do something unnecessary, she might do something unnecessary and become a hindrance.

At this point, she wouldn’t be ‘just watching’, but would instead be getting in the way.

I would feel sorry for everyone around us if she became any more of a hindrance.

So, I decided to accompany her while shopping, partially to monitor what’s she’s buying, even if this was troublesome.

And while shopping, I used my own money to buy a nice piece of meat.

It’s the aged tongue of an Ironhead. It seems to be the softest and most delicious part of an Ironhead, who is filled with hard meat.

Some time back, Zant told me during training, that I should try eating an Ironhead’s tongue at some point.

So that’s why I decided to do it now.

It’s a rare delicacy though, as you can only get one per Ironhead, so its price is high.

But I splurged and bought it anyways.

Besides, when considering that this is large enough for both me and Lisse, with some spare, then the price doesn’t feel that unreasonable.

“Before a dangerous hunt, eat something good. It’s a bit of a hunter’s charm.” I told Lisse.

“Eeh? Is there a rule like that…?” Lisse, who had been replying carefreely so far, gradually clouded her expression, “Is it like a last supper? Because you might die?”

Well, she is right on that.

“Yes, but there is another reason.

“Let’s eat this again later. So, for now, let’s do our best to survive, and leave without any regrets.” I told her.

I don’t know how effective this actually is though.

My master said that this was a form of comforting yourself, but it also means to be confident and aim high.

“So, let’s eat this and do well tomorrow.” Lisse smiled a bit.

After all, the opponent is the Obsidian Wolf. An incredibly powerful Demon Beast, which is seen as a stepping stone for heroes.

And of course, a stepping stone for heroes means that it’s incredibly threatening for non-heroes.

Tomorrow’s hunt is not someone else’s problem. I’ll have to be careful.

******

We finished the shopping and went home.

“Welcome back.” A woman with empty eyes stood idly in front of our home.

She was Sorichika. My former master, who dissolved our student-teacher relationship yesterday.

“I came to eat dinner.” She told us.

Oh, is that so?

… Well, as her former disciple, I’ll at least look after my former master. If a meal is requested, then in the worst case, I’ll at least serve her some bread crumbs.

“Will you eat the tongue of an Ironhead?” I asked her.

“I hate meat.” Sorichika replied.

“But will you eat it?” I asked.

“I’ll eat.” She replied.

“Are you sure? It’s expensive meat. If you don’t like it, you don’t have to eat it.” I told her.

“I will eat.” She replied.

“Do you really hate meat?” I asked next.

“I hate it, but I’ll eat it.” She replied.

“Do you truly dare to eat it?” I asked.

“Yes, I dare to eat it.” She replied.

“But is that feeling really true-?” I started asking.

“Is there any meaning to this exchange!? I’m quite hungry now! And also exhausted and sleepy! Let’s go eat!” Lisse interrupted us.

Ah, she’s right.

I knew that the whole exchange was useless, but I’m glad I wasn’t the one who had to point it out.

After this pointless exchange, we entered our home, finished our meals, then went to bed early.

To prepare for tomorrow, and to be in a good physical condition for the hunt.

******

The next morning started earlier than I expected.

Roda came to pick us up while the sky was still dark.

I was asleep until the moment he entered the house, but when I sensed his presence, I hurriedly jumped out of my room.

“I know it’s early, but we’re about to leave.” Roda told me as soon as he saw me.

My biological clock too said that this was pretty early, but judging from Roda’s tone, it doesn’t seem like this was a last-minute change. They were probably planning on leaving at this time from the beginning.

“Mmm… I’m still sleepy. Isn’t it too early?” Lisse, who woke up a little later than me, said.

She truly looks to be quite sleepy, though I’m pretty sleepy as well.

“No, it’s just as planned. We’ll meet up and leave the city.

“It would be troublesome if we were seen by others, so we have to leave before the rest of the city wakes up. That’s why we’re going at this hour.” Roda explained.

So that’s how it is… “The Obsidian Wolf’s presence has been kept secret, hasn’t it?” I asked.

A gag order must have been issued, so as to let neither the adventurers nor the rest of the city become aware of the Obsidian Wolf.

“If the people who live here find out, it will be a big, festive, mess.

“Adventurers who are hungry for glory will all attempt to face the Obsidian Wolf, and most will die trying.

“Adventurers of this city have done this kind of stupid thing time and time again. I’ve seen it myself.” Roda explained.

So, he gathered strong people to hunt the Obsidian Wolf down, before its presence was exposed.

Though if this hunt fails, then the festive mess that Roda mentioned will certainly become true, as the restriction on the information will be lifted.

The weight on this hunt is heavy… We truly cannot fail.

The Obsidian Wolf does not see humans as prey… At least until it is harmed by one that is, at that moment, we’ll be seen as enemies.

If that happens, anyone that is seen by the Obsidian Wolf will end up being attacked. Human settlements that it comes across will be utterly destroyed.

I have no idea how much damage would be caused by this, but it would certainly be huge.

If a small village like mine was attacked by an Obsidian Wolf, then it would surely be destroyed in less than half a day, without being able to put up any resistance. There are many stories of this kind of thing happening in the past.

“Ah, by the way, are knights participating on this?” Lisse asked Roda.

She must have woken up from her sleepy state by now, as she remembered the two women that we met yesterday.

“Did you meet them somewhere? Well, it doesn’t matter, but the other party is hiding their identity. Don’t point it out, alright?” Roda replied.

It seems like Lisse’s reading was correct, then.

As for me… I don’t know what the goal of the knights, so I have no opinion on them.

“Huh? So this is actually going to be a united front with the neighboring country?” Lisse asked him.

“Oi, oi. Don’t worry about the internal affairs, alright? There’s nothing for you in there.” Roda told her.

Yeah… What matters is that we hunt the Obsidian Wolf down, not what the reason behind foreign knights coming here is.

This is especially true for Lisse, who is only going to watch this.

“Understood. You don’t need to worry about it then, Eil.” Lisse said.

…. Why did she mention me? Differently from her, I don’t mind this at all.

Or rather, if those two from yesterday are really knights, then I really don’t want to know anything else, because they’ll surely be filled with poison and thorns. I definitely want to stay away from them.

“It’s okay. I’m not as interested in them as you are.” I told Lisse.

“Oh. So you are a bit interested in them then, aren’t you?” Lisse replied.

“Are you still half-asleep? Why don’t you wash your face after waking up? The drool marks on your face are amazing, yet you’re still going out like that? It’s embarrassing to be by your side, so walk a bit far from me, alright?” I told her.

“Eh!? You should have said that earlier!” Lisse exclaimed.

Well, it was actually a lie. A lie to see if she would wake up, because she seemed to still be half-asleep.

“What about this bed-hair of yours!? How can you talk to people like that!?” Lisse told me after putting her hands on her face. She seemed to have realized that I was lying.

“Bed-hair? That’s my charm point. My charm point, understand?” I replied.

“Eh!? That!? Are you for real!? A… Charm point…?” Lisse seemed to be in disbelief.

Don’t look at me like that. I was lying this time too. I simply don’t care about my hair.

“You guys really are good friends, huh?” Roda commented.

Seems like Roda too is half-asleep. Is he alright?

******

Instead of having plenty of time to sleep, we had to unexpectedly get ready in a hurry, then leave the house.

“Lisse, Eil, you two are supposed to be accompanying me to carry my luggage. I’ll ask you to behave according to that scenario.” Roda told us.

Carry his luggage?

Nice, that is an easy role.

In other words, Roda is going to take the brunt of everything, and we just have to follow him from behind.

I don’t want to interact with other people much, so this is welcomed.

“Huh? Luggage carrier? Are we your maids or something?” Lisse seemed dissatisfied by the idea.

Roda laughed at that, “It’s easy to just watch things like that, don’t you think so, Eil?”

“Certainly.” I nodded.

I wish I could do just that. Keep my distance and follow you from somewhat far away. I really wish I could limit myself to that.

“Also, it goes without saying, but don’t reveal anything personal. Not about me, nor about the assassins, alright?

“Worst comes to worst, I might have to silence you.” Roda told us.

He said it in a very casual way, just like a normal thing you’d say while chatting.

But there was a very real cold undertone behind his words. He was serious.

And like this, both me and Lisse followed after Roda.