Chapter 45: Abandoned Dog’s Pasta IV & V
Chapter 45: Abandoned Dog’s Pasta IV & V
< Abandoned Dog’s Pasta IV>
【72nd day】
『Is~ that so, the marinade was well received by the king as well, huh?』
「This morning’s marinade of cold pasta was also well received, I suppose. Or rather, raw vegetables are basically unpopular, aren’t they? Even though they’re pesticide-free vegetables……」
After breakfast, I was in the middle of exchanging information with Makina.
The sisters had gone to Gladvain’s dormitory. These days, they trained there whenever they had free time. I sympathized with how they felt.
We were taking a break from adventuring today as well.
After Irvin’s death, we had went once into the dungeon, arrived on the 14th floor, took a look at the guardian, and then returned.
Various thing happened after that, and we haven’t challenged the dungeon for as much as ten days.
Taking the sisters as a matter of course, Shuna and Bel also hadn’t complained. I ended up letting them spoil me. I also ignored the fact that I had been thinking that things can’t go on like this.
For that reason, I want to solve all the business related troubles today.
And, although tomorrow is impossible, if possible, one way or another, I want explore the dungeon about three days later.
『Souya-san, just because the vegetables are pesticide-free, it doesn’t mean that they’re healthy, delicious, and safe, you know?』
「Huh, seriously?」
That statement was shocking.
Some pesticide = bad. No pesticides = good. Was what had been implanted in my mind.
『Vegetables aren’t things that are happy about being eaten by insects, so they also have defense mechanisms. They’ll produce substances that have an insect repellent effect. Depending on the circumstances, those substances can be more toxic than some pesticides. Fufu~n♪ Did you not know that?』
「I didn’t know that」
Well, I guess I had been tricked by the promotional advertising for labor-intensive vegetables.
It’s a conspiracy by modern society.
『Many of the people in the alternate world have excellent senses, and probably understand this sort of toxicity intuitively. In addition, it’s a simple story, but the vegetable on this side haven’t gone through much selective breeding, so they’re not tasty. Souya-san, it appears that your taste buds have been clouded because you had been manipulated by the term “pesticide-free vegetables”』
「Ah, yes」
Speaking of which, I had felt like there was an astringent taste, but because of the fact that they were pesticide-free, I had eaten them without worrying about it. If anything, I had even felt appreciation for the natural taste.
『However, even though Makina said that they’re toxic, it’s at the level where there is no problem so long as the scum is removed. Unlike the food from the dungeon, there is no need for special means of detoxification. Souya-san, you had also prepared them properly by dipping them in vinegar and rubbing them with salt. Not every time though』
「Yeah, my deceased grandfather did it, so I grew into the habit of doing it without thinking too deeply about it. Only when I have the time though」
『From now on, if you are going to eat vegetables, please don’t skip the preparations, alright?』
「Okay」
It’s a sound argument, but some~how, it’s dull. It’s dull, but it’s not wrong, so I’ll bear with it.
『Speaking of vegetables and insects, Souya-san! Do you want to see Makina’s treasured collection?!』
「Huh?」
Ehh, an A.I.’s collection, what are you talking about? I’m a little bit intrigued, but these guys gathered stuff other than information, huh?
Moving upright, Makina entered the resource tent. She brought back a box shaped like a flat board.
『Janja, ja~n♪ This is Makina’s treasured――』
「Wait a minute, you」
『Yes?』
「What is that?」
I pointed to the lower portion of the Makina・Unit.
There were round balls attached there. From what I could see, it looked like she could rotate them 360 degrees and move. Things like the detailed technology behind it was beyond an amateur like me.
Under the law and treaties of the modern world, it’s illegal for A.I.s to move autonomously. These guys had been making all sorts of excuses and ignoring it, but this was breaking the law far too blatantly.
As it is, I had become high-strung about her failsafe issues, and yet……
『It’s an emergency measure for the Makina Unit to avoid crises. Actually, two days ago, when Makina was rolling across the plain as usual to relieve stress, Makina just happened to get caught between rocks and became completely stuck. By chance, Makina got help from a person who passed by, but because Makina may not necessarily receive help by chance next time, it’s an emergency measure』
「No, but this is bad, isn’t it? If you break the treaty this conspicuously……」
『Souya-san, it’s something that is necessary for the adventures』
Wow, deja vu.
They were my own words though.
「Do you intend to use those words to settle everything?」
『Souya-san, the actions necessary for Souya-san’s adventures have been recorded in video format, but showing them to madam――』
「It’s an emergency measure! It can’t be helped!」
This isn’t good, she’s got something incredible on me.
『Yes! It’s an emergency measure! This is something that can’t be helped!』
「That’s right! Or rather, it’s an alternate world! That doesn’t even count as cheating, right?!」
『Yes! That’s, not true』
「………………Yes」
Please go with the flow there.
『The race called elves, because they impose polygamy, consider the emotion called “jealousy” to be very unsightly. It’s a race where beauty is the norm, so there’s probably also the feeling that being jealous means that you’ve lost. But while that may be true, you can’t really say that madam will feel good about seeing Souya-san flirting and acting lovey-dovey with other women. Makina doesn’t have the right to stop Souya-san’s sexual activity, but please think care～～～～～～～～～～～fully before messing around with women. Oh, have you also messed around with men?』
「No, I haven’t, alright?!」
I’m a heterosexual
In the first place, who are you talking about?! Is it Shuna?! But in a sense, I think that it’s okay to put him in the female category. What are you thinking, me?!
『With that said, it’s Makina’s treasured~ collection of alternate world insects!』
What do you mean “With that said”?
Well, whatever.
What Makina had raised up happily was an insect collection case. Insects that I had seen from time to time in the alternate world had been preserved and pinned.
『Insects have no human rights, so Makina made them into Makina’s toys』
「Scary, scary. That statement is scary」
That statement is a flag for you going out of control and making a human collection set, you know?!
『What do you care about these insects? Like this new one at the very bottom, it’s staple food is wheat and it’s an evil species that should be wiped out. Even though there are such insects, Makina has no idea how they haven’t suffered any damages until now. As luck would have it, Makina was able to find their colony and exterminated them using bug drones』
「What?」
I’ve not heard of anything like insect damage to wheat in the history of the kingdom.
「Makina, when did you find that?」
Time, number, and the location where the colony was found.
Lining those up in my head, my bargaining chips increased by one.
< Abandoned Dog’s Pasta V>
I made various preparations and it was noon when I finished.
Right now, a food-tasting event was being held on the second floor of the Zavua merchant company.
「Hmm~ this is pretty good. But I’m a little concerned about the smell……」
Said Lonewell, who was voicing his impressions.
「No, no no, Lonewell. This flavor that has been changed by that slight fishy odor. This will be popular. If you wash this kind of taste down with strong alcohol, it’ll become really delicious」
Came Karlgoff’s impression.
Inside the pasta aglio olio e peperoncino, which the two of them were tasting, were salted sardines――also known as anchovies that had been soaked in olive oil.
While we were adventuring, Makina had been given a large amount of sardines by Geto-san, and had been making them in secret.
She had also taken the opportunity to make fish sauce as a substitute for the depleted soy sauce. As expected from a former cooking robot of the 21st century.
「For the time being, I tried only mixing it simply with pasta, and then dressing it with boiled vegetables and a mixture of vinegar, mayonnaise, pepper and so on. I think that mixing it with potato and tomato soup, or even something like frying it in olive oil is delicious. Putting it on bread together with cheese might work too. As for how long it can be stored, if the bottle is unopened, it’ll last for more than half a year」
The fact that I had made too many product for selling was a happy problem to have.
So long as the bounties of the ocean were the property of the fishmen, seafood would inevitably become luxury foods. Ordinary merchants didn’t have connections to fishmen to begin with.
「Well then, how much will you sell it for?」
Each bottle contained 500g.
「3 silver coins」
Said Lonewell.
「1 gold coin」
Said Karlgoff.
「Then it’ll be sold at the Eruomea merchant company」
「Osu!」
Karlgoff showed his spirit like a karate club member would.
「Karlgoff, isn’t that too expensive?」
In response to Lonewell’s question, he said,
「While it’s on a small scale, my merchant company is one of the few stores that sells seafood. However, since freshness is a problem, we cannot hold much raw stock. Even high-class restaurants won’t buy without customer reservations. I had been waiting for something other than dried fish that has a long shelf life like this. As expected from you, Souya-dono」
「Well then, for the time being, is 50 bottles okay?」
「Yes, if it’s popular, can you increase the amount afterwards?」
「It’ll be one month later, but if that’s fine with you……」
「That’s fine」
That’s an unexpected price.
Half of it will go towards repaying my debt and the rest will become our adventuring funds. Our party doesn’t earn a profit at all from the dungeon.
「I’ll bring the goods tomorrow」
「Understood」
After knocking, a clerk of the Zavua merchant company poked her head through the door and informed us that Libera had arrived downstairs.
I got up from my seat.
「Well then, that’s it for today」
「Souya-san」
「Hmm?」
I was stopped by Lonewell.
「When I told my mother about the matter of working together with Libera-sama, she opposed. She said that when it came to men who got to the level of being called wealthy merchants, the way they quibble is also something that is largely irredeemable. Well, that’s how it is」
「Sorry, that helps」
「No, don’t worry about it」
「What’s going on?」
I left Karlgoff, who had a question mark floating above his head, in the room and went out.
I went downstairs and made eye contact with Libera,
「There is a place that I would like you to accompany me to for a while」
「Alright, anywhere is fine」
Libera answered with an expression that was hard to read.
He accompanied me as we walked through the city.
It was noon, which was a time when the streets were bustling with people.
「First, I’d like to thank you. With Lemuria’s permission, the slaves have all been moved to the farmland this morning」
「They’re not slaves. They’re farmers. If you say the wrong word there, you’ll hang yourself」
「Please excuse me. However, there is one thing that I can’t understand」
So, it’s come.
「Making all of them farmers is a loss of profit. There are also those who aren’t suited for farming, and it’s never good to put people in jobs that they aren’t suited for. As I said before, they can cook and do menial work for all sorts of jobs. And there are beautiful beastkin as well. If you don’t mind, please give them a try. Though it’s a problem as women of other races will no longer satisfy you………………for example, such as elves」
「Hmm」
The fact that I had married an elf is something that many people knew. I had also earned the enmity of those who didn’t look kindly on that. There were probably also tons of people who wanted to have dirt on me.
「But if I put the right people in the right jobs, you’ll benefit from it」
「What benefit are you talking about?」
He was feigning innocence with that question.
「It’s the trust of those former slaves. On your orders, they’ll be tyrannized thoroughly. They’ll be assigned work that’s completely opposite to what they’re suited for. Libera, I’ll have them hate you to the bone. Around the time when they’re even feeling an urge to kill you, my merchant companies will extend them a helping hand. Their trust will be ours. People’s trust is something that’s truly reliable and definite. It’s something that money can’t buy」
「………………I see………Certainly」
I shook him up a little.
I’ll have him spit out what it is that he’s hiding.
Leaving the streets and the throngs of people, we headed towards the outer edge of the kingdom.
We climbed up an observation tower and arrived on top of the outer walls.
From here, the entirety of the city could be seen clearly. And in my view once more, was the sight of the ridiculously big dungeon.
「Your eyes are good, aren’t they? In terms of eyesight, I meant」
「Yes, of course」
50 meters away in the direction that I had pointed, there was a two-story building.
There was no sign of anyone around, and from the desolate look of it and the adjoining buildings, they had been deserted for a long time.
「………………」
His true nature had finally showed up on his face.
It was the face of a wealthy merchant who had grown by devouring people.
「You’re familiar with those 13 beastkin, aren’t you?」
On the second floor of the building,
The windows and doors had been removed, making it easier to see into the building. There, blindfolded and tied to chairs, were male and female beastkin of all ages.
「Let’s see……………… Who are they?」
Perhaps he was taking a wait-and-see approach, but Libera tried to feign innocence.
I readied my bow and nocked an arrow to its string.
「I don’t have an elven wife for nothing. If it’s just Hemu archers, I pride myself as being one of the five best archers in this kingdom. I’ll show you the proof of that right now」
The hardy Lycan bow built up a terrifying amount of tension. The creaking sound its materials made sounded almost like the growling of a beast.
I released the arrow.
It was a mere 50 meters away. Bearing up against the wind and gravity, the power behind the arrow shot it straight through the beastkin’s head.
「Good, it hit」
The beastkin who had been shot through the head fell from the chair.
The hand that Libera was holding his cane with was trembling.
「You’re doing something distasteful…… I had thought that you were a man who wasn’t prejudiced against beastkin and other races, but to do something like this, you’re the same as the nobles of Elysium」
「Yes, my heart aches too. I have many beastkin friends. If those girls are the ones lined up over there, I would do anything to stop it. Unlike you」
I nocked another arrow. While staring straight at Libera, I released it.
It pierced through a woman’s heart.
She was a cat beastkin that looked like Tyutyu.
「11 more targets」
「What do you want me to say?」
「Think about that by yourself. I’m not a merchant. Just a consultant. Just an adventurer. I’m just a foreigner. I’m sick of getting caught up in your schemes. Do your stupid schemes as you wish. But do it out of my sight, got it?」
An arrow pierced through a young beastkin. He died instantly.
「10 left. That silence, is it worth the lives of three people, I wonder?」
「………………」
The look in his eyes changed.
「Agathion」
The instant I yelled that,
The great-sword slid out of my quiver and stopped the blade of Libera’s sword cane.
「What?!」
「It would have been great if you had done that from the beginning」
Libera delivered surprisingly quick and sharp slashes. But they were all blocked by Agathion, and on his fifth slash, his sword cane broke apart.
「Don’t kill him」
The blade of the great-sword stopped at Libera’s throat.
「This is, could this be the sacred sword, Agathion?」
「Who knows, it simply got attached to me on its own accord」
I shot three more people.
「7 people left. Well then, are you still staying silent?」
「What’s your objective?」
「Like I told you, it’s knowing your objective」
Using the hand holding the arrows, I took out the carcass of an insect.
It was a wheat-colored insect resembling a locust.
「I hear that this guy appears to be a pest that eats wheat as its staple food. I don’t know its origins, but it’s an insect from the center continent」
It was nocturnal, forming colonies during the day and devouring wheat at night. It was a pest that preferred Elysium’s wheat, a wheat produced on the center continent.
「Yes, I’m the one who brought them in」
「Tell me why」
「It’s in order to cause insect damage, make Elysium’s wheat fall into a slump, and make the wheat from the left continent the mainstream wheat in the market」
「That’s not your ultimate goal, is it?」
I shot one more person.
6 people left.
「Libera, there are many things that I can’t figure out. Rumor has it that you were forced out of Elysium because of the Seventh Pope’s fall from power. The king said that your objective is revenge against Elysium. In a sense, causing the wheat to fall into a slump and disturbing the power balance between Lemuria and Elysium, would probably be revenge.
However, Elysium, which is on the decline, would never allow an allied nation to look down on it. If they don’t handle it well, allied nations that dissolve their alliance with Elysium will appear one after another. They’re likely looking for someone to serve as a warning to others right about now.
But in a sense, if Lemuria can drive back Elysium’s attempt at setting an example, it’ll become the head of the anti-Elysium nations」
Becoming the head was what King Lemuria was aiming for.
The hunger for fame is a dreadful curse.
It’s exactly the people who had piled up the years that get darkly possessed by it.
「This country has no decent war experience. This country’s merchants call the dispute with the elves a war, but that’s because of the elves’ internal conflict. In other words, if war breaks out, a person who can start the ball rolling on that becomes necessary. Military provisions, human resources, smithery, well, listing it all will take forever. Of course, our young Chairmen will be out of their depth. A former wealthy merchant from Elysium becomes necessary. You’ll surely play an active part, right? But that’s also not your objective, is it?」
That’s not it.
That isn’t this guy’s objective either.
I released two arrows at the same time and both of them hit vital areas.
4 people left.
「Supposing you’re able to plunge Lemuria into a state of war, you can’t play an active part. No matter how much fame you had in the past, no, precisely because of that fame, the Merchant Union of Lemuria won’t trust a merchant from Elysium. Even if it’s a guy who fell from power, was forced out and is expected to have revenge as his objective」
With regards to this, the words of Lonewell’s mother were the clincher.
To a greater or lesser degree, the merchants of this country have a complex against the merchants from the center continent. Be it a gamble with long odds or an uncertain transaction, rather than relying on the people from the center continent, they would do it on their own.
I won’t let a wealthy merchant say that he doesn’t know about that faction mentality and provincial doggedness.
「Well then, are you still staying silent?」
I shot one more person, and 2 people were left.
They were an old beastkin and a beastkin child. Next in line was the old beastkin, but I skipped over him and pointed the arrow at the beastkin child.
It was a small motion, but it appeared that Libera noticed it.
「St, stop!」
「That child’s eyes and nose resembles yours, don’t they? Is he a child with a mistress? There are terrible people out there, huh? To think that there are people who raise and use their children as spies」
「Are you one to talk?!」
Libera screamed.
At last, he had become emotional.
「It seems that you still don’t understand your own position, huh? Are the people called wealthy merchants in this world idiots?」
I drew the bow with an exaggerated motion.
「Wait! Wait please! Only the child, just the child, please wait!」
「Ahahahahahahahaha, hey, if he’s so important to you, don’t do something like making your kid a spy」
I released the arrow.
「Wha……」
The arrow pierced through the old beastkin.
Libera collapsed heavily to the ground as if he had lost all strength in his knees.
「I’m out of arrows. That’s why this will be the last time I ask」
I took Agathion, which was floating in mid-air, and nocked it to my bow.
I organized the information in my head.
It came to me somehow.
At its core, it was exceedingly simple. He had covered it up by disguising it. That was all there was to it.
「Libera, you’re a merchant who has a connection to the Seventh Pope. That’s the truth, however, other than him, there is another Pope that you’re on good terms with. You weighed them against each other, and you made lighter Seventh Pope fall from power. The story about being forced out of Elysium is made-up. Using that cover story, you made inroads into Lemuria to find anti-Elysium forces.
Using young merchant companies as a stepping stone, you’ll burrow your way into those forces if things go your way. That’s your objective」
This guy is a double agent wearing the clothes of a merchant.
Well, thinking about it simply, it’s a simple thing. Even if he was called a wealthy merchant, a merchant can’t possibly be in command of this number of spies. At best, merchants hired bodyguards and out-of-work mercenaries. If an unskilled merchant hired people like spies, their entire fortune would get stolen. The ones who knew how to deal with such people, would be those who were also such people themselves.
「You’ve gotten a few things wrong」
………………So I was wrong. I’m not cut out for this after all. Let’s make this the last time I do such Yakuza-like work.
「First of all, I was hired by three Popes. On the orders of two of them, I made the Seventh Pope fall from power. What’s really laughable are those two. They believed that it was their turn next and, fearing me, they drove me out of Elysium.
The wheat and slaves were things that I stole in place of my pay and retirement money. Things like the fame and mettle of a wealthy merchant are merely damaged old clothes to me.
But, the thing called one’s true nature isn’t something that can be thrown away like blood and bones, is it? Before I realized it, I had ended up searching for the weakness of people and the country. I’m sorry for causing a misunderstanding. But I merely want to live quietly in this country」
「Is that so?」
It didn’t look like he was lying.
「Did you think that I would trust you?」
It merely didn’t look like it.
I released Agathion.
「Ah」
Said Libera, in a foolish-sounding voice.
Despite the distance, the sound of the great-sword hitting its target could be heard. It pierced through the child and pinned him to the wall.
Looking at that in a daze,
Libera looked like he had aged drastically.
「Father!」
Seeing him like that, a beastkin child ran up to him.
Other than him, men and women of all ages had gathered after learning of the danger to their master. In total, there were 13 beastkin.
「Impossible」
They were the people that I had shot to death just a while ago.
「Look closely」
Once again, I pointed.
In the building 50 meters away, images of the corpses blurred and then disappeared.
「It’s an illusion」
To be precise, they were images projected by Yukikaze’s projector, who had been set up over there. Using the images taken with the bug drones, models had been generated and displayed.
As could be expected, there were a lot of flaws when seen at close range, but when they were this far away, they looked real.
I can’t catch all 13 spies by myself. If I had missed even one person, I would wrack my nerves over their retaliation. I also didn’t have the time to go deal with them one by one. I needed to gather them in one place and wipe them out.
I suppose that the spies must have been surprised too.
Including themselves, their companions were being killed. Moreover, since their master was in a dangerous situation, they had no choice but to gather. The reason why Libera’s responses had taken so long was probably for the sake of ascertaining the authenticity of what he was seeing.
「However, next is reality」
I shouldered the bow and took in my hand the great-sword that had returned.
I ran my finger along the flat of the sword. With its coating stripped off, its blade was a dull red color. It was made of wurtzite boron nitrite, which had the highest level of hardness even in the modern world. It also had a regenerative ability and even had some form of intelligence.
In some areas, the technology of the alternate world easily surpassed that of the modern world.
「I’m told that this Agathion is a magic sword that slashed 500 beastkin to death. How many seconds would it take to kill 13 people, I wonder?」
In response to my killing intent, 13 people took out weapons that were helpless against me.
「It’s a shame, but those won’t reach me. I can kill all of you without even getting spattered by your blood」
「Stop」
Libera stopped them.
If he knew about Agathion, it was the right choice.
「It’s my loss, foreigner. Speak you demands, and I’ll follow them」
「Including the ones mixed in with the slaves at the farmland, leave Lemuria together with your spies. I’ll arrange a ship for you. Look for an owner on a continent other than this one. Pet dogs don’t belong in the city of adventurers」
He had a blank look.
Was he prepared to lose an arm and leg or something, I wonder? If I did that, I’ll really be a hoodlum or a Yakuza.
「………………That’s true, I suppose. By meeting a mad dog, I’ve come to understand my true nature very well. I give you my thanks」
「If you really think so, don’t get involved with Lemuria ever again」
「Even if I’m asked to, I’ve had enough」
Supported by his son, Libera stood up.
When the little one beside him glared at me, I put an indescribable expression on my face.
「What about you, I wonder?」
As he was leaving, Libera asked.
I don’t think that he asked that out of spite or anything. He was merely speaking his impressions truthfully.
「There’s no one who wants to keep a mad dog. The people of Lemuria who find you too much to handle will probably drive you out. What will you do then?」
「Did you forget? I’m a foreigner. When that time comes, I’ll leave quietly」
「Quietly, huh? That won’t happen, I can say that much for sure」
I replied the prediction of someone cut from the same cloth with a smile.
I had no thoughts on the matter.
Looking at it normally, there is probably a part of me who can sympathize with this guy’s plight. However, there is a saying like this in my country. It goes, “When in Rome, do as the Romans do”. I can’t sympathize with people who can’t follow that. They have nothing to do with me.
「Who knows」
That was why I answered ambiguously like that.
I no longer had anything more to say to abandoned pet dogs.
Yes, I know. It’s common for people to get sardines and anchovies mixed up, but they’re totally different. Not the same at all! Also, in case you’re wondering why a suddenly very long dish name appeared, that’s by me. The name originally written there is only “Peperoncino”, but try ordering that at an Italian restaurant and all you’ll get is a plate of red chilli peppers. Basically, just like how “condominiums” are called “mansions” in Japan, likewise, “spaghetti aglio olio e peperoncino” is called “Peperoncino”.
If you didn’t quite get Lonewell and Souya’s exchange, what happened between the lines is that Souya had asked Lonewell to ask his mum about Libera, and her answer showed him the prejudice the local merchants had against merchants from the center continent.
Remember Makina saying that she would disguise Aga-chan’s exterior? That was the coating that was stripped off when Souya ran his finger along the flat of the blade. I’m clarifying it because even I found that part lacking in clarity.
For those tilting their heads wonderingly at the fact that Japan has the saying, “When in Rome, do as the Romans do”, yeah, you’re right, that isn’t the actual Japanese saying lol. It’s actually, “When in a village/town/country/hometown/etc, follow the village/town/country/hometown/etc”. So yeah, other than the fact that the location is super unspecific, and hence able to encompass everything, it’s essentially the same saying, isn’t it?
So, how many of you thought that Souya was killing for real? The scary part is, he faked it not because it was wrong, but because doing it for real wasn’t feasible. Anyway, this arc is really putting Souya’s cold side on display. That’s it for Libera, but 2 more chapters to go in this arc. Stay tuned!