Chapter 86: Let’s Prepare a Banquet for Settling the Outstanding Promise of the Past
"Yeah~ It went exactly according to plan."
『Yabe really has some insane cheat.』
"You’re kidding. I don’t have any cheat at all. I haven’t met a god once. Most of all, I woke up as a slime. It’s the same as Gerdon."
『S-Slime!?』
"Yeah, through an incredible amount of effort I changed the slime cells in various ways and increased my abilities. No status window, no skill selection — I just used whatever skills I had. None of that nonsense."
『Haa... You really worked hard. You’re amazing. I’m lucky to be contracted to you.』
"I don’t know what the right way forward is, but since we’re both isekai fans, let’s live together in another world and get along!"
『I look forward to working with you too.』
We shook hands firmly on the street.
『...What’s wrong, Boss?』
Logan, who had been following, suddenly asked in confusion when he saw us shaking hands on the main road.
"Oh, sorry, sorry."
We continued walking toward the adventurers’ guild.
Until just now we had been taking down nearly 1,000 orcs.
With my , Gerdon swinging his halberd, and the wolf fangs providing support, we had finished them off without any problems. By the time I got used to it, Gerdon was actually swinging the halberd to kill orcs.
Come to think of it, there’s no concept of levels, no status window. Defeating monsters doesn’t give any experience points. It feels like no one knows what "getting stronger" even means. Gerdon will probably have to figure out how he’ll get stronger in the future.
By the way, I increase my swirling energy through training and absorbing monsters. I thought that was what "getting stronger" meant.
I wonder how Gerdon is going to get stronger.
Once things calm down, I want to talk to him slowly and include our past lives. That time, I’ll have to prepare good wine and good snacks.
Still, right now Gerdon was the complete "Gerdon Hero!" — the Knight of Love and Justice, Red Kabuto. He successfully gained fame by cutting through the charging orcs with his halberd. That "one man against a thousand" look earned him cheers from the west gate guards and adventurers.
In the end, Gerdon raised a heroic shout right in the middle of the fallen orcs.
"UOOOOOOOOO——!"
He was clearly the hero who protected this town of Barlere...
...even though he was an orc.
...even though he was my contracted beast.
Well, that was fine as long as the adventurers’ guild understood.
Logan and the others who had already gone out to intercept at the north gate were returning now.
They were really fast. Really fast.
Maybe orcs were just snacks for them now.
...Is that weird?
Klink klink
"Every time— Is the guild master here? Kaiser’s?"
"""Bu fu fu"""
A few adventurers snorted.
Actually, it seemed like the adventurers who hadn’t gone to the gates were the ones who came back.
They must have just missed the battle.
I don’t think they fully trusted me yet anyway.
"Yabe-san, the guild master is just one person, so..."
The receptionist came out from behind the counter.
"Please come to the guild master’s office."
I stopped her with my hand.
"Sorry, but it’s troublesome, so can you guide me to the warehouse instead? I have 1,500 orc heads to hand over."
"Eh...? Ah, w-w-would you please wait a moment?"
She hurried off to the back room. Why would she guide me to the room for a completed request and confirmation? Should I fill the room with 1,500 orc heads...? That’s too weird.
The door opened and Kaiser appeared.
"Yabe. I received your report. A splendid extermination."
"Thank you. I’m handing over 1,500 heads, so please accept the proof of defeat."
"Very well. Let me have them taken from the back warehouse."
We went to the warehouse and they brought out 1,500 orc heads piled up.
"Umm...?"
These were the heads Logan’s group had brought back... They were a lot bigger and scarier.
"T-This! An orc king!? And this is an orc general too! How many general heads are there...!?"
Kaiser raised his voice in shock.
"Yabe, there were more orcs than just orcs, huh."
I looked at Logan.
『Come to think of it, the first one that rushed in was an orc king. I took its head cleanly. Hahaha.』
Logan proudly laughed while rubbing his head.
"I see, you took down an orc king in one shot..."
I felt a bit down too.
『Besides orcs, there were many upper species like orc generals and orc knights. I’d be incredibly happy if Boss could roast the king’s meat for me.』
"O-Oh, leave it to me. I’ll stuff you full. After we get back to the spring."
『I look forward to it.』
"So, please process the request."
"A-Ah... Please submit your guild card at reception. The reward needs to be recalculated. To think that upper species like orc kings and generals would be so numerous..."
"Then I’ll come to receive it first thing tomorrow morning."
With that, I left the adventurers’ guild.
Outside, it was already evening.
I had sniped 1,000 orcs. It had taken a decent amount of time.
『Can I come with you?』
"Of course. Or should I just pay for a normal room? With the armor on I wouldn’t be able to tell the difference."
『I’m saved.』
"Food can be brought to the room too, right?"
『You’re really spoiling me.』
"What, isn’t it good?!"
For now, let’s go get a room and relax. After making sure Gerdon’s room was secured, I dashed toward the area where the stalls were still being packed up.
"Fufufu... I’ll take back what I lost..."
I smiled creepily and walked around the stalls that were about to close, collecting ingredients.
"Fufufu... I’ll make full use of your power...."
"Yabe, you look really angry today?"
"Onii-chan, what happened?"
"Yabe-chan, you seem manly today~"
"Yabe, do you need my power?"
I summoned all four spirits at once: water spirit Wintia, wind spirit Sylphie, earth spirit Belhia, and fire spirit Freya.
"Now is the time to gather your full power!"
"What’s wrong?"
"Did you eat something bad?"
Since I was acting, Wintia and Freya looked puzzled.
"Actually..."
I explained that I had skipped my promise with Irina and Sarina to save the town.
"I don’t understand. You did the right thing, so why are you saying that? I don’t get it at all."
Wintia shrugged as if she didn’t understand.
"Yeah~ It’s better to just tell the truth~"
Belhia-neesan also said I should explain.
"Well, that’s true, but I did keep them waiting for a long time. As an apology, I decided to make a delicious meal and invite the two of them."
"Onii-chan, what kind of food are you making?"
"Yabe, use my power to the max!"
Sylphie and Freya both looked like they were ready to help.
I set up a small pot.
"Belhia, make this size pot for me. We’ll use it over fire."
I handed her the soil.
"Leave it to me~"
Belhia shaped the soil into a smooth, non-stick pot.
The pot Belhia made had a perfectly smooth surface and never burned.
In Earth it would have sold like hotcakes.
I placed the pot, added the cheese I bought.
"Freya, warm it up slowly from the bottom."
"Leave it to me!"
Freya placed her hand on the pot and a small flame appeared, heating it. After a while the cheese melted.
"Sylphie, stir the pot slowly with the wind."
"Understood, onii-chan!"
The melted cheese was stirred slowly.
I took out the cup I had made with Belhia earlier and set out three cups: one for myself, one for Irina, and one for Sarina.
"Wintia, give me some delicious water."
"Got it!"
Delicious water was poured.
While that was happening, I cut the fruit and bread I bought into bite-sized pieces.
"Alright, everything’s ready. I’ll call the two of them. Please wait a bit."
I went to their rooms.
"What’s wrong, Yabe? You’re here at this hour. Also, you didn’t even come for dinner, where have you been? Everyone from the Coluna house was worried about you."
I led Irina and Sarina to the room.
"This smells really good. What is this, Yabe?"
"This is an apology for keeping you waiting all day. Please eat it."
"Yabe, this is your cooking? It feels like it’s been a while."
"Ah, I’m glad. I’ve never made it before, though."
I seated the two of them around the pot.
"The spirits are here too."
"I used their power. I wanted you all to eat deliciously together."
"Yabe, what kind of food is this?"
"This is cheese fondue. Dip the bite-sized fruit and bread into the cheese and eat it."
I handed them long forks.
"That looks fun... I’ll try it."
Irina quickly stabbed a piece of fruit, dipped it in cheese, and ate it.
"It’s delicious! What is this creamy texture!"
"Then I’ll try too..."
Sarina also dipped bread in cheese and ate it.
"Mmm! It’s so good!"
"I’m glad. Come on, everyone eat!"
I gave the long forks to the spirits too.
"Yabe, this is super delicious!"
"Onii-chan, it melts!"
"Yabe-chan, this is amazing~"
"It’s really delicious, Yabe!"
The spirits were also happy.
While everyone was eating and chatting...
BAM!
The door opened and Luciana stood there. She was holding a pillow and wearing her pajamas.
"What are you all doing? Am I being left out?"
Luciana looked a little teary and sulked.
"Sorry, sorry. I had no bad intentions. Would you like to join us? It’s called cheese fondue."
"U... I’ll try it!"
Luciana also dipped plenty of cheese and ate it.
"It’s delicious!"
Luciana was satisfied too.
"Ah, I didn’t make a special cup for Luciana-chan. If you want, you can use my cup. It’s super delicious water given by Wintia."
I smiled and handed over the cup.
"Ah, thank you!"
Luciana’s cheeks flushed red as she drank the water.
"Ah... I’m jealous..."
For some reason Irina was looking at Luciana enviously.
We ate and chatted for a while longer, but I ended up angering Lord Fenberg a lot.
