NOVEL NEXT
Chapter 609: H-help━(゜?゜)━!
Eguchi Ren: Another late upload, sorry (sweats). Please note that I’ll upload regardless even if there’s no hiatus announcement.
Gumihou: It’s strange to see Mukouda worried over Elland’s coming, had him be more privately amused instead
It had been a week since we learned that Elland-san was related to High Elf Jorgen.
The construction work was finally completed and peace finally returned to our home.
Right now, we face a new problem. The impending arrival of Elland-san.
In fact, I would really like to hold the promised drinking party for Bruno-san and his friends now that construction has been completed. However, given the current situation, it would be difficult to properly enjoy the party so it was postponed for a while.
Actually, the main reason for the postponement was Grandpa Gon, who was all a jitters thanks to Elland-san’s impending arrival. He and Dora-chan were, well, [1] afraid was not quite the thing, but they were certainly not happy. Tension was thick in the air and I began to feel nervous too, mostly for Elland-san because if he really annoyed my familiars too much, it was not unthinkable for them to Dragon Breath him away…
Jorgen had noticed our nervousness and informed us helpfully that he would ‘Take care of it’, which was great, but unless and until I have seen him at work, I can’t help but feel anxious. In fact, the familiars were so nervous that they had been ‘hinting’ for a trip out of the house for some time now.
So, why haven’t we gone away yet?
The answer is…
[2] “Well, well, good morning again,” Willem-san said, as though he had not stopped by yesterday, the day before and the day before that, and would most likely visit us again tomorrow.
[2] After some generic small talk, he would say, “See you tomorrow, eh?” in a vaguely threatening way before leaving.
[2] “Hahaha… haahhh…”
[2] “Master, can we really not go?” said Grandpa Gon.
[2] I sighed, “You heard the man.”
[2] “I could-”
[2] “No.”
[1] Alternatively, Dora-chand and Grandpa Gon could just fly off on their own without my permission, but… It was actually kind of funny to see the dragons becoming more and more lethargic every day.
Even the amount of food they consumed had reduced. If only by a little.
That showed just how anxious they were.
Still, as members of the [3] Gluttonous Quartet, instead of running off into the forest or mountains and feeding on raw meat and plants, both Grandpa Gon and Dora-chan elected to stick around the house, eating my food even as they dreaded the arrival of a certain Elf.
When they asked me why I couldn’t go on an emergency hunting trip, I conveniently blamed Willem-san. Hehehe.
Finally, the day of our most dreaded visitor dawned on us.
I had ordered my former Adventurer guards to keep an eye out for Elland-san and to let me know immediately the moment they sniffed out his arrival in Carelina.
Therefore, when Tabitha came trotting in alone without a stern-faced Willem-san behind her, I knew it was time.
“We received news [4] from one of the guards outside that a ‘certain person’ had been spotted. I have instructed Peter to delay that person as best he can. I have also dispatched Luke to the Adventurer’s Guild.”
[4] Although Peter was a half-giant and a former Adventurer, he was no match for a former S Ranker. Regardless of how rotten his attitude was, Elland-san came by his rank properly, unlike, well, me.
[4] “Good,” I said. “Hopefully, it won’t take long for help to arrive. You go and back up Peter for now.”
Tabitha nodded and left.
After she was gone, I entered the living room where a bored Fer, a cheerful Sui and two drooping dragons were situated.
“Well, he’s here.”
Grandpa Gon made a sound I had never heard of before.
[1] Well, it must be hard for an incredibly powerful creature to fear a puny thing that just adored it a little too much. I’m totally not mocking my dragons, by the way. It was just… their expressions of pure agony was a little funny.
“Ahem, don’t worry. I will do my best to block that pervert as much as possible,” I said cheerfully.
“Thank you, Master.”
““Please keep that person away.””
I smiled. Their reaction will never not be funny.
“Now, to buy you more time, please move to the back of the house. I’m not sure how long I can hold him at the door.”
““Sui will help Aruji~!””
“Umu, there is no way you can stop him alone. I have no choice but to help, I supposed,” said Fer in his special tsundere way.
“”Sui can’t wait to see good friend Uncle Elf~!””
Dear Sui, I have no idea why you would consider Elland your good friend, but-
“”As a good friend, Sui will advise Uncle Elf and say ‘No’ strongly to him~!””
“Eh, um, g-good for you?” I really have no idea how to deal with this, but so long as my dear Sui is not being scammed or tricked in any way, it’s all fine.
For now, let’s try to keep Elland-san away from the house until the final weapon, Jorgen, arrives.
“Grandpa Gon~~ Dora-chaaan~~ Elland is here~~~”
[5] Luckily, I had not taken a sip of my fortifying coffee, or my servants would have a dirty table to clean later… although I could probably get Sui to clean it more thoroughly, it was still-
[5] “Dora-chaan~~”
[5] A vein popped up on my forehead. I was not even the target of that unnecessary LOVE, but I too, felt annoyed by him. A glance through the window saw Elland-san practically dancing above the grass. He was so happy that his feet barely touched the floor.
He looked so happy that it took all of my energy not to slam the door in his face. It was that terrifying.
[5] “Ah, it’s been a while, my very good friend, Mukouda-san!”
“It’s been less than two months since our last meeting…” I muttered.
[5] “Indeed! Too long! It was much too long!! Ahahaha! So, where is Grandpa Gon and Dora-chan?”
[5] “… aren’t you forgetting something?” I asked, I didn’t even have to feign the exasperation in my voice. “Surely you’re on official duty for something? Don’t tell me you’re just here to see Grandpa Gon and Dora-chan and completely forgotten about your ‘errand’? Should I report you for trespassing-”
“Eh, ah, wait, wait!!” Elland-san appeared to finally realise that he had painstakingly secured some absurd excuse to step onto my land. He slammed a hand against the door to stop me from closing it. “Mukouda-san, my dear wonderful friend, Mukouda. You’re absolutely right. I am here… Just to see Grandpa Gon and Dora-chan!!”
I looked up at the sky.
What was I expecting?
[5] “Oi, don’t you have something for me? A magic sword maybe? The one you’re supposed to, ah, ‘help’ the Adventurer’s Guild transport?”
[5] Come on, you stupid Elf. I’m helping you here.
“Eh, ah, oh! Right, right,”
I resisted the urge to smack myself in the face as Elland-san rummaged through his [Item Box].
“Ah, here it is!”
“Thank- oooffff!!”
[5] “No thanks needed, I’m off!” with that, he pushed past me and danced cheerfully into the house.
[5a] “No, wait. What are you- stop!”
“Ahahaha~! Grandpa Gon~~ Dora-chaaan~~ your dearest friend, Elland is here~~”
“Who is your dearest friend?” [5a] I sighed. “Fer, Sui, please stop him.”
“Mu, it looks like you’re doing a good job already,” said Fer with a smirk.
[5] “What are you talking about? Oh, I know, it looks like you had too much food earlier, and should probably benefit from a vegetarian diet…”
[5] “Mu!!”
[5] “You know what, yes, the more I thought about it, the more sense it makes. Since we had no choice but to stay at home the past few weeks, your stomach had become a little flabby. We could have stir-fried vegetable, vegetable soup, I can do a pumpkin soup, barbecue some roasted vegetable-”
[5] “No!! I mean, there’s no need for Master to worry at all because help is here! Of course, I would help should master need it, but there is really no-”
“ELLAND!! SO, IT REALLY IS YOU!!!”
I nearly jumped out of my skin. It was the same yell I heard back when I first met Jurgen. However, unlike before when I was mostly shocked and a little frightened, a big smile spread across my face.
━(゜?゜)━!
H-help is finally here!!
“Eh, wh-who? Wait, aren’t you–? Uncle Jorgen?”
[Gumihou: There’s fear, and then there’s ‘isn’t this kind of…’]
[1] Saying that the dragons were ‘afraid’ of Elland is kind of unbelievable and ridiculous. Mitigate it to some kind of nervous energy that could, if seen through a squint, be mistaken for fear.
[2] Rather than leaving it at ‘the Guild Master came to my house everyday’ expand the scene
[3] Different qualifiers for being part of the Gluttonous Quartet outside of ‘eat a lot’. Include dumb stubbornness
[4] Add details
[5] Adjust the Elland scene for something more absurd and dramatic. Also, adjusted Mukouda’s energy from ‘nervous-scared’ to ‘nervous-annoyed’.
[5a] Have also deleted 150 of ‘argument’ at the door, because it just makes the scene laggy. Have also deleted 50 random stream of thought from Mukouda for the same reason
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