NOVEL NEXT Chapter 45 - Chapter 45: Mercenary Request
Chapter 45: Mercenary Request
As we were preparing to close up shop early in preparation for the drinking party, Marie arrived just in time, accompanied by a visibly exhausted Azir for some reason.
“Am I a bit early?”
“I was just about to close up. Can you wait a bit?”
“Sure.”
I handed Pink over to Marie as a sacrifice. She happily placed Pink on her palm, her expression softening. Then, while gazing at Pink, she skillfully made her way to the back of the stall.
“Is Azir coming along too?”
“Yeah, something came up for him. But, Bonus, more importantly, about what’s behind you…”
“Huh?”
When I turned around, the atmosphere seemed strangely tense.
“Hey? They’re increasing again, aren’t they?”
Marie said, still facing away from me. With Pink in one hand, she rested the other on her sword. Gisella also lifted her hips, gripping her mace. Zamza unsheathed his sword, his face tense and eyes darting around.
Oh man, what’s going on here?
“The oni woman is Gisella. She recently joined our group. That oni man is Zamza… I don’t really know.”
“Huh? Oh, I-I’m a member of the oni… I-I’m Zamza, the oni… Zamza! Bonus’… disciple!”
Shiro gave a vague explanation. And Zamza, when did you become my disciple? Have you become so confused being surrounded by scary women? Well, at least you decided not to call yourself a hero anymore. That’s something.
“…Well, never mind.”
“This person is Marie, the one who introduced Bonus and me. We’re going to drink together from now on.”
“Oh, I see. Nice to meet you, Marie-san.”
Marie and Gisella let go of their weapons, and seeing that, Zamza hurriedly put his away too. Finally, the tension eased.
“I’m sorry for instinctively reaching for my sword. I was a bit tense. It moved reflexively.”
“There aren’t usually so many oni gathered in the city. It can’t be helped~”
“I’ll treat you later for causing a scare.”
“Yay!”
I thought things were about to get dangerous for a moment, but Marie and Gisella quickly became friendly.
“Hey, Bonus. Who are you teaching?”
“I want to know too.”
“You seem to be in quite a predicament… Before we close up, can I have some coffee?”
“Gugyau!”
Azir ordered coffee with a tired face. Quickly, Kuro prepared the coffee.
“Kuro from your place is cute~”
“She’s quite healing to the eye.”
“Gugyau~gugyau!”
—
We quickly returned the stall and finished packing up. We left our belongings at Gisella’s house, then headed to Marie’s favorite shop.
Kuro, Shiro, Gisella, and Marie happily chatted as they walked ahead. Behind them, I, Azir, and for some reason, Zamza trailed along.
Somehow, we split up into male and female groups for the drinking party. It felt a bit like our school days, bringing back some nostalgic feelings. However, we didn’t have much in common as guys, and we were all tired. Conversations didn’t flow naturally, and it seemed like we needed alcohol to liven things up.
“We’re here.”
I was worried it might be a fancy place, but it turned out to be surprisingly cozy. The interior was adorned with delicate decorations inspired by plants. The place was meticulously cleaned, giving off a sense of cleanliness with its interior colors.
And all the waitresses were women. The woman who seemed to be the owner looked the youngest.
I’m starting to understand Marie’s taste a bit more. It was good that we found a place where we could relax and drink.
Gisella, who had fully regained her composure, started getting excited.
“Wow, this place has a cute vibe!”
“Stray Dog Tavern wasn’t bad either, but this one has a more elegant feel.”
“What kind of name is that…?”
“I’ll take Azir there someday too! On your treat, of course.”
“I don’t need that! And why is your disciple following us around like it’s natural?”
“Zamza… Do you have money?”
“Yeah.”
Why is this guy following us around uninvited and acting so calm? Maybe I should make him sit between Shiro and Gisella.
“We’re a group of seven and one animal. It’s gotten bigger than I thought, but luckily we can all fit at the largest table.”
“It’s pretty crowded.”
“Hey, Kuro, sit over here.”
Today is about showing gratitude to Marie. I had Kuro sit between Shiro and me and placed Pink on Marie’s shoulder. She seemed pleased.
But for some reason, I ended up sitting next to Shiro. And immediately next to me, Zamza sat down, followed by Azir. Gisella sat beside Kuro, excitedly looking around the shop.
So, in the end, three guys ended up sitting together.
“Shall we start casually?”
“I’m quite hungry. Do they have any recommendations here?”
“I don’t know.”
I’ve vaguely noticed before, but Marie is pretty clueless when it comes to everyday things. Unlike Marie, Gisella thoughtfully ordered some food for us. She’s such a considerate person.
I decided to go ahead and order the recommended wine for now. The onis, as usual, went for the fire sake without hesitation.
“Before everyone gets too drunk, there’s something I want to talk about. Marie, are you ready?”
“Leave it to me.”
Come to think of it, Azir must have some purpose for accompanying us. Well, I can pretty much guess what it is…
“I think I mentioned this to Bonus before, but Marie and I are going on an expedition at the request of a feudal lord. Marie will be the leader, and I’ll be her support.”
Ah, it’s about that complaint from before…
Oh, here comes the alcohol.
The oni started drinking the fire sake like water, casually ignoring Azir’s talk.
“The request involves exterminating a pack of Black Wolves and protecting nearby villages. Based on eyewitness reports, the size of the Black Wolf pack is estimated to be around a hundred.”
“I’ve never seen them before. What kind of monsters are Black Wolves?”
“They’re big, black wolves that hunt in packs. They’re numerous, second only to lesser demons.”
“Is it rare for a pack to have around a hundred?”
“Yeah, it’s rare. Usually, there might be around ten in the area.”
“Can Azir defeat ten of them alone?”
“To be honest, it would be tough for one person to handle ten. Well, Marie could probably take them down easily.”
Shiro drinking fire sake next to me is bothering me. Isn’t that already her second cup?
“Considering the request, we thought we’d need a team of about ten people. But the truth is, we’re having trouble gathering members… We’re short on manpower. So far, it’s just Marie and me. The reward is only for the lord’s request, but it’s quite lucrative…”
“Well, we can guess, but why did you tell us?”
“Please, Shiro-san, come with us!”
“No.”
Aw, rejected. Honestly, I’m indebted to Marie, and I don’t dislike Azir. I want to help somehow, but I can’t afford to leave Shiro alone for a long time.
“Ugh…”
“Can’t you do something, please?”
“I can’t leave Bonus.”
“Gugyau!”
“Then, Gisella-san!”
“No.”
“Ugh… damn it!”
Ah, Azir just downed his drink in one go. I understand your struggle! Middle management, huh?
“Bonus, would you like to come too?”
“Well…”
Actually, I’m kind of interested. So far, I only know of Hell’s Cauldron and the town of Savoia. I want to see more of this world. What kind of creatures are monsters? What kind of buildings are in the village, and are there any specialty products? Are there other mysterious humanoids like the oni? Once I start thinking about it, my curiosity never ends. Besides, both Marie and Azir are top-notch mercenaries. They’re definitely reliable companions for a first-time trip.
“Well, yeah. I owe Marie for introducing me to Shiro. I should help out somehow. But I’m not sure… Honestly, I’m not good at judging society. What does everyone else think?”
“I’ll go if Bonus is going.”
“Yeah, I’ll stick with everyone. Plus, I can handle a hundred Black Wolves by myself.”
“Gugyau!”
“All right! It’s settled! Whew, that’s a relief! Let’s drink!”
Azir is trying too hard, it’s kind of pitiful. But well, maybe it’s worth trying.
Gisella’s suggestion is not wrong either. With the current group, it seems unlikely that we won’t be able to fulfill the request. The only possibility is that I might accidentally die, but there’s no point worrying about that. And besides, the likelihood of that happening is probably lower than in Hell’s Cauldron.
“Well then, shall we give it a try?”
“Yeah! Let’s do it! Together, everyone!”
“Thanks, Bonus. Azir, stop talking already.”
“…………”
Azir, with dead eyes, quickly finished off his drink again.