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Chapter 59: Just a Little Bit

Translator: Haruchin   Editor: Marky

I delivered my restorative potions to the Commerce Guild.
Dropped by the Adventurer’s Guild, and got held back by Retze.

「 So, you’re leaving a month from now? 」
「 Well, it depends on Amadeo, but that’s the plan. 」

Amadeo was the Gold-ranked Adventurer summoned by the Guild for the upcoming expedition. It was a stroke of luck that he was free, since he just finished a different mission. Well, he did request that he took a break first, so they still had a month.

That’s the end of spring, huh. They would set off in early summer, and they would go further into the forest, deeper than the place we went to. They would observe the monster population while trying to thin it out, so they had to stay there for a while.

The guild decided to push through this expedition with the assumption that even if the numbers were many, they weren’t that strong yet. They also thought that even if there were powerful monsters lurking there, they would probably be few, like one to two only, so if Amadeo was there then they could handle it.

This city’s Silvers were obligated to participate, and the Irons were also summoned. The Coppers could also join as long as they had recommendations from Irons with three stars and above. Normal Copper-ranks who wanted to gain stars wouldn’t let this opportunity pass if they had the chance, based on these conditions.

Dean and Chris endorsed Ash and Butler, so they would also participate. Butler joined because of Ash. She, on the other hand, didn’t join because of the promise of stars, but because it was only natural that she would protect the commoners against the threat of danger as part of her duty as an aristocrat.

The Adventurer’s Guild seemed to understand that the possession of black spirits was the reason for the increase in monsters. There were people who could see the spirits among them aside from me, so that was a given.

However, the various countries in the Central Plains were currently involved in repeated skirmishes, so the theory was that it was the work of the magicians or shamans around those parts. Opinions were divided regarding those magical techniques that had given birth to the black spirits. Some said it should be evaded, and there were others who approved of it.

Well, they shouldn’t really be glossing it over during the war. I couldn’t really blame them, since most of the wounded spirits would flee into places that were out of reach so they could recuperate, and although there was no guarantee that those places wouldn’t be in danger right then and there, the chance was still pretty low, plus the majority of the people couldn’t see the spirits, anyway.

The Central Plains, where the warring states were, was around the Dragon’s Neck. Azirh — the country where Canum was located — was treated as safety padding against the monsters by the other countries, so it rarely experienced war. In return for that, those countries would repeatedly pester Azirh whenever more and more monsters popped up as a result of the war.

Ash’s country was also involved in territory wars from time to time. Heroes frequently stayed in Sis’ country, so it was considered a powerful nation. Actually, it was called an empire, and it ruled over several countries.

My home’s country was peaceful thanks to the mountain ranges that isolated it. A series of high altitude, rugged mountains rose from the base of the Maw, and even the peninsula in the Lower Maw were also divided, so setting aside the country that faced the sea, many of the countries around here were quite detached from the international situation.

「By the way, sorry for going back on my word, but can you make me a bag out of cloth? I’m gonna pay you, of course. 」
「 With cloth? 」
「 Yeah, cloth. I heard the guild is in a rush to commercialize it before the expedition takes off. 」

I already declared that I wouldn’t participate in the subjugation expedition right from the get go, when they were still recruiting. I felt a bit guilty afterward, so I offered to make bags — they didn’t have items called rucksacks and backpacks here — but he refused at that time.

According to Retze, even rogue adventurers would still get stars, as long as they joined in this subjugation and managed to hunt a few monsters, though the ranking was unknown. There was a high chance that his stuff would be snatched away if he brought something conspicuous.

「 So, I’ll measure your backhere? 」
「 Yeah, please. 」
Dean and Chris were Silvers, so it’s quite impossible that people would pick fights against them. That was why they left the hides they hunted to me, and I promised to make them bags. As for the sheets, they planned to waterproof some cloth with wax.

I already lazed around for four to five days, so it was time to work, I guess. So, inconspicuous would be better, huh.

I promised to meet him again after 20 days, then I returned back to the rented house. Mornings and evenings were now dedicated to needlework.

It was purported that the Gold-rank Amadeo would become rich soon, and that he was in cahoots with the rumored magicians, so I was curious about his fighting style. But then, I didn’t want to be acquainted with a globe-trotter adventurer.

So, first would be the preliminary work. The leathers were to be tanned and dyed, of course, and I should pick a nice cloth for Retze, too. It should be durable, light, and waterproof. Well, they did waterproofing here by smearing wax, or soaking canvas in oil, right.

…Rubber trees thrived in places where it was hot and humid all year round, right. Raincoats were made by applying melted natural rubber between thin fabrics, then lighting them on fire after crimping, if I wasn’t mistaken. But it was the type to easily deteriorate, and the contents would probably spill all at once if it ripped from being stretched when he put his things in. Hmm, Lizard-kun’s hide was still handy, I guess.

And so, I tried making the exterior with the common tarpaulin, and I used lizard hide for the lining. I added a cushion to the inner back part by packing it with a bit of felt. The color of the bag was moss green as per Retze’s request.

I didn’t have to be too meticulous with Dean and Chris’ bags, so theirs were black.

I diligently worked on the bags, and I also played tag with the black spirits in the forest. I switched locations and went to the campsite ground beside the river, ignored the monsters, and did my best to capture and name the spirits around here. The contracted black spirits had increased.

In particular, the spirits residing in the water droplets of foliages and branches also had the same long-distance communication ability as the fireplace spirits. They would reflect the scenery on the water dish.

I wanted to see people actually using magic. I had to name all the spirits around here, from end to end, so that I wouldn’t miss anything.

Guess I should also ask help for Ash and the others while at it. Just a little bit of aid — just so those guys can have a little more luck, and just enough to wipe a bit of their fatigue. I also warned the spirits not to swarm together so that they wouldn’t stand out.

Gold ranked Amadeo-san could see spirits, so he was pretty famous.