This was a difficult birth, and I might end up replacing it.
Jiro Tanaka, 28 years old, has a girlfriend.
His girlfriend is Suella Handelberg.
Memoria Tris
Occupation: Dungeon Tester (Full-time employee)
Magic Aptitude 8 (General Class)
Role: Warrior
“Excuse me, I am Merry, a traveling merchant. This is Giro, my bodyguard. We have come to this mountain to gather Spriteberries.”
“A traveling merchant yourself?”
“Yes, if I move myself, there are no expenses, and Spriteberries at this time of year are traded at high prices. He is also my fiancé, so I have him help me raise funds.”
After the battle, Memoria, bowing politely beside the fallen giant called a Forest Bear, looked imposing.
After a slight bow, Memoria answered fluently. Once she stated her purpose, she waited for a reaction from the other side, while I made sure I could move.
I didn’t collect the Ore Tree and waited by her side in a state of limp relaxation.
In contrast, the shrine maiden on the other side, whom I recalled was named Eshlee, removed her hood, revealing her face.
She was a girl with honey-brown hair cut to her neck, appearing to be about middle school or high school age in my world.
However, her expression did not give the impression of a child; instead, it conveyed a mature atmosphere.
“Then, why were you in the tree earlier? Spriteberries grow in clusters near clear streams.”
“Even with his abilities, protecting me, he would eventually fall before a magic beast. It is natural for a merchant to avoid unnecessary risks. I had instructed him to evacuate to a safe place if anything approached.”
“Then why didn’t you help us? You both must have seen that we were being pushed to our limits.”
The other party did not relent in questioning the suspicious points they had noticed.
I could see their determination to press further if they found even the slightest discrepancy.
Despite her small stature, she seemed quite determined.
Perhaps it was her pride as a clergyman, not overlooking lies.
I shifted my gaze and paid attention to the other knights.
Every single one of them was focused on our movements, ready to act at any moment.
The knights who were injured while I was fighting had also finished their treatment.
I noted their shrewdness with a glance and left the unfolding events to their course.
“I apologize for seeming to defend my own, but he was concerned for my safety and advised against intervention in the battle. As you can see, he is accustomed to mountain trekking, but he is not sufficient to fight magic beasts.”
Memoria’s attitude was reassuring to watch.
In the first place, my concern for her was likely unnecessary, but there was no sign of her panicking as she responded evasively to their questioning.
I thought the questioning might continue for a while, but the clouds thickened, and the surroundings were already dim.
Given the situation, I questioned if this was the time for such things and thought it would be better not to take too long, but I couldn’t voice my opinion.
Showing impatience now would not be good. I cautiously calmed my mind, remained vigilant of my surroundings, and watched the exchange between Memoria and Eshlee.
Fortunately, the questioning did not last long.
“…I apologize first for suspecting you. I heard in town that magic beasts had become more active in this vicinity recently, and I was investigating the cause.”
“It must be difficult for a traveling shrine maiden to go to such lengths.”
Memoria, who seemed to eman an atmosphere of sympathy while adjusting her glasses, had incredible acting talent in addition to her performance this time, didn’t she?
Or maybe, in this world, this is how merchants operate by default?
She was not her usual self with little emotional fluctuation, and speaking while weaving lies and truths, she seemed like an entirely different person.
Based on her story, the questions up until now were to confirm if we were somehow involved with the magic beasts.
“We cannot leave the people in distress. Do you have any idea about this?”
“No, I have also been avoiding combat with magic beasts, so I don’t have anything in particular… If I had to say, I feel like the time until we encountered the magic beasts was shorter than usual.”
“Is that so? Thank you for the information. We are returning to our base now, but would you like to join us?”
“No, we appreciate your kindness, but we also have our own plans.”
“I see.”
She showed a disappointed expression, but it would be inconvenient for us to indulge in that.
The conversation was over. She also put her hood back on and began preparing to move.
As for us, as long as we recovered our luggage, we could leave immediately.
I felt a sense of relief in my heart, finally able to head towards a place where I could rest.
“Well then, if fate brings us together again.”
“…Yes, may the gods bless you.”
After exchanging farewell greetings, we each took our separate paths and left the scene.
All that was left was a title card saying that if fate allowed, we would meet again.
However…
“…”
“Something?”
“No, why are you following us?”
“The directions are the same for us.”
“I see.”
Jiro and Memoria exchanged glances, wondering what was happening.
The conversation should have ended, and we should have parted ways, but they were following us like a flock of ducklings.
Their behavior was undeniably unnatural.
This time, I directed a suspicious gaze at them without hiding it, and their previously resolute attitude, fueled by their mission, disappeared. It seemed all the more unnatural.
They weren’t overtaking us, who had stopped, but seemed to be standing still as if to answer our questions.
It was natural to suspect that something was amiss.
“By the way, where is the base you mentioned earlier?”
“It’s Sakaru. We came from that direction.”
“Is that so? We will be searching for Spriteberries in the mountains for a while longer, so it’s not in that direction?”
“…”
Memoria’s words, likely a test, hit their mark.
The silence was painful.
After having such a serious exchange, how could the atmosphere change like this?
Memoria gave a knowing look, and they all seemed awkward.
It was an uncomfortable atmosphere, like when you mess up at work. Although we had just moved, I felt sweat other than from exertion flowing.
“Merry, can I have a moment?”
“Yes, sorry, please wait a moment. What is it?”
“What do you make of this situation?”
“What do I make of it…”
The atmosphere was such that we couldn’t just leave. To break the ice, I took a little distance after seeing Eshlee nod.
The front figure, Eshlee, maintained her stance with a perfect smile.
Since our conversation could be overheard without issue, I continued speaking with Memoria.
“Considering the current situation, perhaps they are lost?”
*Thwack*
With that blunt statement, everyone, including Eshlee, flinched slightly, as if something had pierced them. Unaware of this, we continued with our deductions.
“Is that so? There’s a possibility it’s just a coincidence.”
“However, based on their actions and attitude, it’s highly probable.”
“No, they came this far, didn’t they? Unless they have a terrible sense of direction, they wouldn’t come this deep into the mountains.”
“If we consider that possibility, it should be interpreted not that they got lost by chance, but that they got lost naturally.”
The word “terrible sense of direction” that I used, and Memoria’s comment that it was even more fatal, were followed by another sound of something piercing, and I thought I heard a groan.
However, in my mind, the equation of Knight = Professional held true, and I couldn’t believe that a professional would make such a basic mistake as getting lost in the mountains.
Traveling meant visiting various places around the world; mountains should be a piece of cake for them.
“I made an assumption based on the irrationality of her words, but is there anything that concerned you?”
“Yes, the initial confident request for cooperation is concerning. Would someone in the situation of being lost be able to make such a request?”
If I were lost in a forest and attacked by a magic beast I couldn’t defeat, could I ask for help saying, “Let’s fight together if someone happens to come”?
It would depend on the situation, but the first thing I would ask for would be a plea for rescue, not cooperation.
“…Indeed, it is hard to imagine being able to say something like that at first in such a situation. If they had been wandering in the forest, they would have asked for help first.”
“Yes, their actions are also unnatural in a way. However, there’s also the possibility that they got lost due to an unexpected magic beast attack and became flustered.”
“Was that a possibility too? Indeed, in a dire situation, one might panic and do such things… Combining their initial statement and the one just now, the possibility of coincidence seems higher. Otherwise, it would lead to trouble later and they would be taken advantage of. They wouldn’t commit such foolishness.”
Another piercing sound was heard, and the sound of multiple people collapsing to the ground could be heard.
“Either way, it might be better to confirm their actions first.”
“Yes, then… Is something wrong?”
“No, we will apologize, so please listen to us. Please, I beg you, have mercy.”
When I looked back to discuss it again for confirmation, I saw them kneeling and collapsing.
It was then I realized. The arrows of judgment, which had been corrected upwards with the assumption that they, of all people, wouldn’t be like this, rained down upon them.
It wasn’t that we were mocking them; rather, our attempt to acknowledge our own fault and correct ourselves sometimes hurt others.
Therefore, the scales of our prediction tilted unmistakably in one direction.
“An apology?”
If that were the case, our previous conversation would have become problematic in a sense.
If this were a typical fantasy development, they would have gotten angry and attacked, saying something like, “Are you mocking me?” or “I won’t permit insults!”
Who would immediately think that knights were lost in the forest?
After all, they were a group with a person who held the position of a shrine maiden. Could that group realize they were actually lost?
At least, I couldn’t, which was why I had the conversation earlier to gauge our shared understanding.
I had slightly lowered the volume to avoid appearing as if I were deliberately letting them hear, but it seemed to have had the opposite effect.
“…Yes.”
Spit cannot be taken back.
Words spoken cannot be taken back.
As a result, the arrows of words had pierced them, and the defensive wall covering their self-realized state of being lost had been ground away by a file from above, exposing their lost status.
As a result, Eshlee began to speak in a barely audible voice, so quiet that a slight gust of wind would make it inaudible, as if she wished it could all be over at once.
And, matching her words, the knights also exuded a somber atmosphere.
“What should we do?”
“What do you mean, ‘what should we do’…”
This was the umpteenth time I had been forced to make a decision today.
It wasn’t a story where hearing it brought tears.
What we heard was quite simple. They had been sent on this investigation by their superior with an unreasonable demand. With a set of equipment handed down based on their superior’s experience, a vague memory from the past.
And on top of that…
“You, or rather, your subordinates…”
“Yes, they are not all knights, but knight apprentices.”
Those individuals were not part of a newly formed unit; they were trainees who had been burdened with their superior’s work.
They were not even professionals, but mere apprentices, and they were here.
Their posture, shrugging their shoulders as if confessing a mistake, was age-appropriate.
This was a headache that couldn’t wait.
Originally, it was supposed to be a simple tour of duty, just patrolling the roads as instructed… This group of five, despite being the top-ranked team at their school, and moreover, of commoner origin.
The rest can be imagined; the flames of jealousy, known as power, must have been burning fiercely.
Even she, the shrine maiden with an official position, had only taken office a year ago and had just started to stand on her own.
It was clear what would happen if such members attempted this without any know-how.
As someone who was seeing the results physically, not just predicting them, I felt a bit conflicted.
If they had the kind of personality that would dismiss it with a shrug, I might have responded differently…
“No wonder they got lost.”
“I am truly sorry.”
If they reported their failure, they would be reprimanded. The environment was such that punishments were harsher than in Japanese companies. Moreover, their superior had instructed them to act as knights when meeting others, so they had followed that instruction, albeit in confusion.
Hearing that they would be lucky if they were only stripped of their positions if they failed this time, I felt like I had glimpsed the darkness of this otherworldly society.
They had been trying to somehow complete the mission by deception, but their food ran out, and their stamina would likely run out by tomorrow when that attack occurred.
This was truly a case of adding insult to injury.
Furthermore, with a bleak future looming, our conversation from earlier had cracked the defensive wall they had managed to maintain, breaking their spirits.
Mismanagement, selfishness, recklessness – the job’s premise was riddled with flaws.
Faced with the unreasonable demands of a superior, which existed even in this other world, I couldn’t help but feel sympathy.
Whether it was true or not, seeing Eshlee prostrate herself, begging us to help her subordinates, my Japanese side couldn’t help but feel a pang of sentiment.
Despite being warned by the supervisor not to act out of a sense of justice, this was the result.
What a terrible timing to have met them, or rather, to have done this.
Scratching my head, I considered the options.
“Merry.”
“Haa… It can’t be helped. Let’s treat this as an emergency.”
“Is that okay?”
“Yes, it’s riskier to abandon them now and have problems later.”
From Memoria’s perspective as a vampire, they would be targets to abandon.
Although she was engaged to me, a human, values don’t change that easily.
Yet, Memoria readily allowed them to accompany us.
For me, even though it was unintentional, the guilt of having broken their spirits made this decision a lifesaver.
“God, I am grateful for this fateful encounter!”
This was especially true for those being saved.
Unaware of the hidden circumstances, they all expressed their joy straightforwardly.
I felt a complex emotion but had to accept it.
“The problem is food, though…”
“Yes, fortunately, we have obtained fresh food right in front of us.”
You never know what good fortune life will bring.
The amount of food I had planned for two people wouldn’t suffice for this many.
It was fortunate that we were able to take down a Forest Bear at this timing.
“One leg should be enough. Let’s drain the blood and look for a campsite.”
“Shall we do that?”
Even one leg would be a considerable amount.
To carry it all would require some kind of convenient plot device.
Without such a thing, our luggage would inevitably be minimized.
Time was precious.
To finish quickly, I immediately began cutting off the leg and draining the blood.
After all these troubles since the start of this business trip, I had to accept it, but this was beyond bad luck.
Originally, I had planned to leisurely enjoy this other world, experience its culture, and stimulate my senses. Instead, I was dismembering an otherworldly bear.
I prayed that it would at least be delicious as meat, while showcasing the techniques I learned before the trip.
Although it might be clumsy, the basics were covered.
I’d heard that raw, gamey meat was inedible, so I took it seriously.
The gallery watched me.
Memoria and Eshlee were fine, but hey, knight apprentices, at least be vigilant.
“When traveling, companions are a blessing,” as someone once said. I prayed that this favor would be returned in the future.
“Alright, finished. We can finish the rest at the campsite.”
It took about thirty minutes. The sun was completely hidden by clouds, and the already dim forest was now only slightly brighter than at dusk.
For me, the brightness was still enough to see ahead – not to mention for Memoria, the vampire.
The problem was the other members.
“Are you alright?”
“I’m sorry, Mr. Giro, I’m not very used to this kind of situation.”
“I see. Merry, is the destination close from here?”
“Yes, it’s not far, but it’s getting late. Let’s hurry a bit.”
Led by Eshlee, the group, who seemed uneasy in the darkness, reminded me of my training days with Kaido. I prayed to a god I didn’t believe in to spare me any further trouble, and under Memoria’s guidance, we finally left the scene.
Jiro Tanaka, 28 years old, has a girlfriend.
His girlfriend is Suella Handelberg.
Memoria Tris
Occupation: Dungeon Tester (Full-time employee)
Magic Aptitude 8 (General Class)
Role: Warrior
Quote of the Day:
Trouble can not only be caused but also befall you.
We hope for your continued support of this work.
