NOVEL NEXT Chapter 72 - Chapter 72: Azir and Lunch
Chapter 72: Azir and Lunch
By the time we reached the hideout, it was well past noon.
Since everyone was dirty from the battle and dismantling, we all headed to the water source.
After quickly washing off the dirt, Mil, Gisella, and Zamza promptly began preparing the meal.
Having participated in the battle, Kuro and Shiro meticulously cleaned themselves and then started washing Elizabeth.
As soon as Azir arrived at the lake, he discarded his clothes, jumped in, and just floated there, looking vacant.
“Hey Azir, let Kuro shave your beard.”
“Huh? Seriously?”
“Ahh~ Gyaau~ Gyagyaau!”
“It’s kinda scary…”
“Gyaggyaaggyaa!”
After Kuro finished washing Elizabeth, she glinted her eyes and approached Azir with a knife in hand.
“No, it’s definitely safe. And Kuro, don’t play around too much with Azir.”
“Gyau.”
Kuro, looking bored, approached Azir and swiftly shaved off his beard in about 10 seconds while deftly moving the knife.
…Huh? Can he really do it that quickly? It feels like it usually takes longer when she shaves me…
“Wow, amazing Kuro! She’s really a skilled imp, isn’t he… an imp, right?”
“So, why did you come alone? What about Marie?”
“Oh, uh, about Marie… well, you see…”
As Azir and I got out of the lake and dried ourselves off, Elizabeth suddenly started shaking.
“Elizabeth…”
“Meeh…”
Seeing Azir and me all wet, Elizabeth looked apologetic and started licking her tongue.
Depending on how you look at it, it could be seen as mocking us. …But she’s not mocking us, right?
“For now, let’s gather everyone and hear what happened…”
“Got it… Am I being made fun of by Elizabeth?”
“To Elizabeth, it’s more like, ‘Sorry~.’ Probably…”
Before we knew it, everyone had gathered around the kiln, so we proceeded with the conversation.
Everyone seemed to be cooking under Mil’s leadership while listening.
Azir, having no change of clothes, was just in his underwear.
As we listened while trying to hold down Pink, who was desperately trying to head towards the kiln, Azir took out a small bag.
“Where did you just pull that from?”
“Well, don’t worry about the details. Please check the contents.”
Upon examining the bag’s contents, there were 50 golden coins with intricate designs, several blue gems, and some wooden tags with writing on them.
I see, I have no idea of their value at all.
“Wow, there might be more than I thought.”
“I’ve added Marie’s share of the reward as well. And it’s a token of appreciation for me, who brought it over risking my life.”
With a surprised look, Gisella peered into the bag, rubbing salt and herbs into the meat.
Well, considering that this person, who lived in Savoia, is among us, it should be sufficient as a reward.
“But… hmm, I don’t quite understand its value.”
“Each coin is worth 500,000 reis. The blue stones are at market price. Well, it might be hard to understand, but with just that, it might amount to several million.”
Azir said, shifting his gaze towards the kiln.
It seems that the meat marinated in Mil’s sauce was ready.
The violent smell of appetite-stimulating food wafted from the kiln.
Even so, just the coins alone amount to 25 million reis.
Certainly, it’s quite a sum, but considering that battle, I honestly can’t judge if it’s a lot.
“Well, I can understand Bonus’ feelings, but it’s an extraordinary reward for mercenaries. Please be satisfied.”
“Yeah, it’s not that I’m dissatisfied. I just don’t quite get it…”
“Alright! It’s done!”
As Mil took out the iron plate from the kiln, the freshly cooked meat, still sizzling with oil and steam, was brought before us.
Today’s main dish is the meat of the giant boar.
As Mil sliced it with a knife, juices spilled out from within.
It seems that the heart and liver had already been cut and cooked.
“Mmm~ It’s reviving! So delicious… How delicious, you damn boar!”
Azir eagerly took a bite of the meat before anyone else.
It seems like he’s savoring the taste deeply.
“I’m glad I’m on the eating side.”
“…Delicious, delicious.”
“Tastes great, huh?”
As usual, Shiro and Zamza are eating voraciously.
“The texture of the heart is interesting.”
“If only we had some alcohol with this.”
“Don’t mention it, it’ll only make me want it more.”
Mil probably still loves alcohol because of his race.
But once it’s mentioned, I start to crave it too.
By the way, as Gisella said, the texture of the heart meat is unique. It’s quite firm, but since it’s thinly sliced, it’s just right.
Although the liver has a slight smell, the sauce does a good job, and it’s delicious enough.
Other parts were similiarly tasty without any unpleasant smell, perhaps thanks to the sauce.
It makes you want rice…
Azir has a much brighter expression than when we first met, munching on meat with enthusiasm.
He looks much younger now…
With his beard shaved off, he seems to have regained some refreshing handsome qualities.
“Well then, Azir. This means our job is pretty much done for now.”
“Yeah, that’s right. I envy you guys…”
“Everyone, feel free to use this individually.”
Since I sense Azir might start complaining, I decide to distribute the rewards first.
“For now, since we have many things to buy together, let’s keep those aside. How about we divide the coins into sets of five for each person to use as they like?”
“I don’t need it.”
“No, it’s too much~. We need to buy a lot of things to live in the hideout, and for personal use in daily life, one coin worth 500,000 reis is more than enough. If there’s something you want, you can always pester to Bonus.”
“I’ll leave it to bonus.”
“I can’t accept it.”
“Gyau~?”
Indeed, as Gisella said.
For now, I reluctantly give each of them one coin as insurance for emergencies.
But Mil alone refuses to accept it.
“Bonus, I didn’t originally take the request, and since I was the one being helped, I can’t accept it.”
“Well, but… come to think of it, are the people in the Vaintz Village safe?”
Of course, I haven’t forgotten about the people in the Vaintz Village.
But I wanted to be mentally prepared before asking about the villagers’ safety.
However, considering Mil’s future, I can’t put it off any longer.
“Yeah, everyone is safe.”
“That’s a relief…”
“Where are they now?”
“They’re camping near the Savoia checkpoint.”
Zamza is genuinely happy.
Mil doesn’t say anything, but sits down, closes his eyes, and lets out a deep breath.
Although she was lively cooking just now, she must have been restless inside.
Now she has a somewhat relieved, absent-minded expression.
Since coming to the hideout, Mil has been enjoying herself and moving around energetically.
Of course, she must have been genuinely enjoying herself, but perhaps she was also forcing herself somewhere.
“It seems like they’ll start rebuilding from now on…”
“Yeah, I’m working on that now, but we’re short on manpower and supplies.”
“That’s why you aged so much…”
“Hey, Bonus… Help me out!”
“You’re not even trying to hide it, are you!?”
“I can’t do it anymore! I’m a mercenary! I don’t understand anything about rebuilding! Damn it~! Isn’t this insanely delicious!?”
Next, a steak of wild boar meat prepared by Gisella arrives.
As he stabs the meat with his knife and takes a bite, he’s ranting incoherently.
There must be a lot built up inside him to be like this even though he hasn’t had any alcohol.
But first, I have to make things clear with Mil.
“Hey Mil, what are you going to do from now on?”