“What wish should I grant? Hmm… I’ll let you know later!”
Friede, who had narrowly won the bet with me.
When I asked what kind of wish she was planning to demand, Friede smiled broadly and answered that it was still a secret.
It was an answer that sent chills down my spine. I wondered what she was planning to demand that she was dragging it out like this.
Although she said with her own mouth that it was a ‘small wish’, so it might not be such a grand request… but while it might be a small wish from Friede’s perspective, it could be a wish I absolutely can’t grant from my position.
Just as even one bottle of soju is considered a lot for someone who doesn’t usually drink, but is merely a mouthwash for a severe alcoholic.
…Anyway, no matter how long we waited, there was no sign of new snow bears appearing, so we considered the request completed and left the cave to return to the village.
“We’ve finished the subjugation. There were ten in total, including cubs.”
And we went to find the village chief who had been waiting anxiously, informing her that the snow bear family had been annihilated without leaving a single cub.
“Good heavens, there were ten of those deadly white bears? What on earth was there to eat for ten of them to gather in a place like this…”
The village chief was shocked and made a fuss at hearing that as many as ten snow bears had gathered.
What was there to eat, she asks. Isn’t there enough food for one whole village here? From the bears’ perspective, it’s a full buffet. One they can pick and choose from whenever they feel like it.
It’s fortunate we cleared them out before the cubs grew up, if the subjugation had been delayed a bit longer, this village would probably have become an exclusive restaurant for snow bears.
Anyway, judging by the village chief’s reaction, it didn’t seem like they had deliberately lied about there being only about four bears to save on the request fee.
They probably hadn’t expected there to be so many bears either. The cubs would rarely have come out of the den.
“Anyway, thank you. Thanks to you, we can sleep with our legs stretched out now.”
“Well, I’m just doing a job I’m paid for.”
After confirming the snow bear hides I presented as evidence, the village chief grasped my hand and bowed her head in gratitude.
Saying she had been so anxious she couldn’t sleep, but now that she had confirmed the corpses, she could finally feel at ease.
“Since the cave interior is deeper than expected, there’s a high possibility of this happening again, so I recommend blocking the entrance itself if possible.”
I took the opportunity to add a piece of advice.
Since the cave was unexpectedly deep, if left unattended, it was likely to become the den of other beasts or wandering monsters, so as a preventive measure, they should block off the entrance completely.
“Ah, and we buried the bodies of those who fell victim to them near the cave entrance. They were severely damaged, so if you want to move them, it would be best to find people with strong stomachs.”
Additionally, I added that we had arbitrarily buried the villagers who had become the bears’ meals, so if they wanted to move them to another cemetery, they should go there to find them.
Hearing this, the village chief rewarded us with a hearty meal, slaughtering five chickens.
Of course, it was a large meal for the three women including me, but for Kikel it wasn’t much, so he only managed to fill his stomach after gnawing on the bear meat he had brought separately.
* * *
After finishing dinner, as the sky had begun to darken, we asked the village chief if it would be alright for us to stay the night here.
“Oh my, of course it’s alright! Let’s see, the house that’s empty right now…”
The village chief smiled, saying she could grant such a request anytime, and guided us to a house that happened to be just empty.
It was an unexpected kindness for us who had anticipated staying in an inn or barn.
When a house is empty in a rural village, it usually means something unfortunate has happened to the owner…
Hmm. Perhaps it was the house where the corpses we buried used to live, or something like that.
The house we were introduced to was small, shabby, and crude as befitting a rural village home, but it was at least sufficient for the four of us to shelter from the cold for one night.
Judging by the furnishings being enough for two people, it seemed like a couple or lovers might have lived here originally, though it was a bit peculiar that the clothes hanging up were only women’s clothes.
No, come to think of it, had I seen any men in this village at all?
I couldn’t be certain since I hadn’t looked around everywhere, but in my memory, all the people I had briefly encountered in passing seemed to be only women…
Well, what does it matter? We’re leaving this village tomorrow anyway.
It wasn’t particularly something to worry about.
“Ugh, look at this dust. This is almost at dungeon level.”
“I-If it’s uncomfortable, c-couldn’t you sleep in the wagon? Alone.”
“…Breathing in a little dust is better than sleeping in the wind outside.”
Amy grumbling that the air was stuffy, and Friede telling her to go sleep outside if she had complaints.
They weren’t flaring up and arguing, so it seemed their relationship had improved somewhat, but it still looked like they had a long way to go.
“For sleeping… I guess we’ll sleep here? We should lay out the sleeping bags though.”
Since it was a single-room structure with nothing that could particularly be called a bedroom, we placed our sleeping bags on top of the straw mattress laid out in one corner of the room and got in to sleep.
Kikel lit a fire in the small stove placed in the center of the house, then curled up beside it and fell asleep snoring.
It was a fairly comfortable night.
I had thought the house owner might appear in a dream and scream at me to get out of their house, but fortunately, I didn’t have such a nightmare.
I did dream of a large crow clinging to me and rubbing its wings against me.
I wonder if this could be considered a nightmare too?
* * *
The next morning. After thanking the village chief for letting us rest well for a day, we drove the wagon back to Vespian.
With as many as ten snow bear hides neatly stacked in the cargo area.
It wasn’t a bad harvest.
Except for me, my companions had fought in a way that completely smashed the snow bears, so the condition of the hides was too ruined to sell.
…Well, if we can’t sell them at a good price, we might as well process them suitably and use them ourselves.
If we take the chopped-up hides to a leather shop to be properly treated, we could use them effectively for cloaks, boots, or gloves.
* * *
After several hours of wagon travel.
After peacefully slaughtering some bandits we encountered on the way and securing some side income, we were finally able to return to Vespian around five in the afternoon.
“Friede. I’m going to the guild to report, so in the meantime, you and Kikel dispose of these. And Amy, you…”
After entering through the city gates, I pointed at the snow bear hides and the bandits’ belongings, instructing them to dispose of these on my behalf.
If we postponed disposing of the loot until after confirming the completion of the request, it would likely take at least two more hours before we could have dinner.
I’m hungry.
“I’ll stop by the Magic Tower and then go to your inn. I need to preserve this heart before it rots further.”
Amy said, pointing to the well-packaged snow bear heart in the corner of the wagon.
I had wondered why she had kept such a thing separately, but according to Amy, it could be used as an ingredient for some kind of magical reagent?
She said the quality of the reagent decreases the more it rots, so it needs to be preserved as quickly as possible.
“Oh? Alright. See you at the inn.”
I nodded readily and saw Amy off as she got down from the wagon.
Since I had nothing particular to ask of her, it didn’t matter what she did before returning as long as she wasn’t late for dinner time.
After sending Amy off like that, we drove the wagon towards the adventurers’ guild request office.
“I’ll have to walk from here. You didn’t forget what I said earlier, right? Please order one cloak, one pair of shoes, and two pairs of gloves as my share. Do what you want with the rest.”
I stopped the wagon at the fork between the guild building and the shopping district, got off, and reminded Friede to not forget to order my share of clothes.
Since Kikel’s way of speaking is what it is, he seems to have absolutely no talent for custom orders.
“Yes, yes! Leave it to me…!”
Friede nodded her head vigorously and waved her hand to see me off.
Come to think of it, I still hadn’t properly heard what kind of wish she was planning to demand. Should I casually ask during our dinner gathering?
* * *
“Yes. I’ve confirmed the completion of the request. Good work!”
The confirmation process ended sooner than I expected. There weren’t many people at the request office today.
I asked about the reason, wondering if something had happened, but the receptionist girl said there wasn’t anything particularly special. Everyone had just gone out to work, she said.
Well, there are days like this too.
“Then, see you next time.”
I picked up the reward money the receptionist girl had prepared for me, then greeted her and left the request office.
The reward for this job itself was honestly not much, just pocket change, but it should be enough for Friede to properly pay her inn fees.
Once we sell the intact bear hides at a proper price, we should have enough for living expenses too.
‘Well then, shall I head back now…’
After tying the money pouch string to my belt to secure it, I walked towards the inn.
It felt like it had been a while since I walked alone. Lately, Friede had always been sticking close to my side.
I didn’t realize it then. I thought we were just walking around together as comrades or friends, but I didn’t know that Friede was considering it as something like a date.
“Haah…”
A sigh escaped.
Now that I knew Friede’s feelings, I was at a loss whether I should keep some distance from her from now on, or treat her as usual.
To think I’m worrying about how to treat a girl who likes me. I’ve really come to have such luxurious worries. Should I say this is also thanks to Brunhilde’s body?
“…Huh?”
It was at that moment.
“This presence, this smell… who is this? I didn’t expect to run into you here.”
Someone who had lightly brushed past me on the street suddenly turned around and spoke to me.
“I don’t understand. Why are you here in a place like this after running away? And what’s with that appearance?”
Although the tone was like addressing a friend met after a long time, the voice speaking to me was full of sarcasm and mockery.
“An adventurer, really, you’re doing all sorts of things.”
“Who are you…?”
I stopped walking and turned to face the person who had spoken to me. With my right hand, hidden under my cloak, lightly placed on the sword hilt.
A tall woman talking as if she knew me well.
She had a bow slung over her back, and beside her was another woman alternately looking at me and her, tilting her head.
Both had their faces covered with hoods so I couldn’t see what their faces looked like, but the lower parts of their faces that were slightly visible gave me a strange sense of déjà vu.
No, more than that, what did this woman just say?
After running away?
Is that… could she be saying that because she recognizes me? Really?
“Who am I…? Ha, that’s funny. Are you pretending not to know? I’m at a loss for words.”
The tall woman shook her head, letting out a hollow laugh.
Who the fuck are you. I curled my fingers that were placed on the sword hilt, gripping it. Tension flowed as cold sweat.
Although the possibility wasn’t very high, I was anxious that my identity might have been discovered.
“I think you’ve mistaken me for someone else. I’ve never seen either of you before.”
“I don’t know why you’re talking like that. Are you really going to play dumb? What do you think, Imelia?”
The tall woman lightly tapped the other woman’s shoulder and asked.
Imelia.
I widened my eyes, hidden by my helmet, in shock. Realizing the source of the déjà vu.
The name Imelia. How could I not know that name?
“Our Lady Knight Brunhilde is pretending not to know her old comrades. Isn’t that too much? Considering you were in the same position as a traitor.”
“Oh, is it really Miss Brunhilde…? No, why as an adventurer…?”
Imelia Elsine Lawrence.
And, Irina Winter.
Old comrades. Women who were once party members of the hero Friet along with Brunhilde, but who betrayed Friet and transferred to Gunther’s party.
The women I had encountered naked and sprawled on Gunther’s bed immediately after being possessed here were standing before me.