On the fourth day of our journey, we entered the forest that was clustered around the Mountain. When I was looking for a place to camp out because the sun had almost set, I found a cavity under a huge tree.
The tree was in a position where it was easy to keep watch over our surroundings, so we decided to spend the night there. Since we kept running, it was necessary to take a proper rest. Moreover, traveling in the night was also dangerous.
Tata and Mao started preparing our dinner using the ingredients I retrieved from Meru’s Space-Time magic, together with wild herbs that Freud had prepared from who-knows-where. Because the task of making our meals also served as practice, they took turns every day since the time we stayed at Grave-san’s country. Of course, there was also my turn.
It seems today Tata, who’s the best cook among us, will teach Mao how to cook.
Mao was eager to help while listening to the instructions from Tata.
The tasks were given to a group of two people, and among those groups, a sure-kill combination existed. The combination of Haosui and Kagane. When these two were teamed up, some "original" dishes would be born for some reason. Or should I say it was "unique"? Or "abstract", perhaps?
The two could make delicious normal food without problems, but they seemed to compete with each other when they were put on the same team. They made me eat their creations that could barely be called food, and asked me to choose which one was tastier each time. But bad things are bad.
The both of them have a high DEX status..... So why is the food they make always giving me a hard time? Could you just make it normally? I asked once.
[ [Cooking is a means to show our love!! The results..... don’t matter....] ]
I gave up when I was told so.
Yeah, I should be grateful that they would like to cook for me..... I shouldn’t be concerned about the taste..... I guess.....
When I was preparing tableware for everyone while thinking about such a thing, they appeared again.
[W-We are bandits~..... eh?] (Purple)
[Oucha~ we bumped into you again.....!] (Blond)
It was the third time I encountered the purple-haired and the blond-haired bandits. I answered their call while scratching my head.
[Hello there.....] (Wazu)
[Ah~ yes!! Good afternoon!! Hmm..... Oh, it should be "Good evening", I guess?] (Purple)
[Oh Hello~ ’s been a while!!] (Blond)
Purple Haired Bandit lowered her head dutifully while Blond Haired Bandit raised her hand casually. We talked to each other like old friends. No, the other party was a pair of bandits.
[So, are you still doing it? The bandit certification, was it?] (Wazu)
[Yes! I’m doing my best~!!] (Purple)
[We are in the middle of the level 3 examination now.] (Blond)
Yeah, it went up again.....
[It seems that it has gone up again.....] (Wazu)
[Yes~] (Purple)
[She is able to earn money now. I’m proud of her!] (Blond)
Being told so, Purple Haired Bandit seemed happy and broke into a smile.
Blond Haired Bandit stroked her head as if seeing her little sister.
Well, it would normally become a heartwarming scene, but because they were talking about bandit activities, I found it funny instead.
Putting that aside, I have been bothered by something since a while ago.....
[I’d like to ask something, but..... who are those three behind you? Your friends?] (Wazu)
I pointed at the three people who were gazing at the situation, while hiding behind the trees at a reasonable distance behind the place where Purple Haired Bandit and Blond Haired Bandit were standing.
Their ages and statures were varied. A fat guy in his thirties, a lanky guy in his forties, and a teenager of medium height. But despite their diversity, everyone wore a purple-based uniform and purple headband. I didn’t know its purpose, but everyone held wood sticks of about 10 cm, painted in purple, in both hands. Hmm, was that to fight with?
[They are good-hearted people who are cheering for me from the shadows!!] (Purple)
[They were originally her targets for the test, but after that, we occasionally saw them following us for an unknown reason..... And when I thought they had gone, they would suddenly appear again without me noticing it.....] (Blond)
Huh? What was that? I’m kinda scared.....
Whether they were aware that we were talking about them or not, the three men suddenly started waving their wooden sticks while giving a loud cheer for Purple Haired Bandit.
Oh, is that the purpose of those purple sticks?
When I was feeling fear because I had encountered things that I couldn’t understand from their behavior, Blonde Haired Bandit continued talking.
[Moreover, when it’s time for us to return, they will donate a lot of money to this girl..... They also keep their distance to a certain extent..... Well, they are harmless and profitable so I couldn’t bring myself to chase them away....] (Blond)
[Everyone is a nice person~!! You are worrying to much~!!] (Purple)
[It’s because this girl is like this that I couldn’t leave her alone.....] (Blond)
She suddenly made an exhausted face while letting out a long sigh. Is this person a worrywart by nature? She was talking about being scolded by her boss the last time we met. She is also in charge of Purple Haired Bandit whose words and actions are a little off for a bandit..... I guess she’s having a hard time... I still won’t give her my money, though.
[So, will you ask for my money again this time?] (Wazu)
[No, actually..... could you give us some food?] (Purple)
When I was perplexed by her remarks, I heard a growling sound from Purple Haired Bandit and Blond Haired Bandits’ stomach.
[Food.... is it?] (Wazu)
[Sorry. To tell you the truth, we have been lost in this forest for the past few days..... We have not eaten anything decent during this time. So, could you share a little bit of your food?] (Blond)
Blond Haired Bandit told me their current situation shyly.
(Food, huh..... If it’s just food.....)
Thinking that way, I turned my sight towards the women’s group.
There, Sarona and the rest were emitting overflowing murderous intent..... Why?
I told the two to wait using a hand signal, and went back to the group at once.
[Umm..... Your faces are scary, you know?] (Wazu)
[...............]
.....it seems they have no intention to give me an answer.
Hmm? What is this? What should I do?
When I was at a loss, Freud’s smiling face came closer to me.
[Wazu-sama, because you don’t seem to understand, let me explain it. Everyone is jealous.] (Freud)
[Jealous?] (Wazu)
[Yes. Judging your conversation from the side, it looks like Wazu-sama is close with the two ladies.] (Freud)
Eeehh..... It’s not like we are close friends or something, we’re just acquintances at most, I guess? Did we seem like that from the side? I exhaled a breath and put it in words for everyone.
[Umm, I just happen to have met them few times before and I simply wanted to help those in need. I’m thinking of giving them a little food... is that bad?] (Wazu)
[Sigh.....]
I honestly said what I thought and everyone let out a sigh in unison.
[Well, they say kindness is a virtue.] (Sarona)
[Kindness is one of Wazu-san’s charms.] (Tata)
[This time only, all right?] (Naminissa)
[There is no next time.] (Narellina)
[.....cheating is a "no".] (Haosui)
[Because it’s Onii-chan, there is no helping it.] (Kagane)
[I think that being kind to the weak is duty of the strong.....] (Freud)
[Thank you.] (Wazu)
I thanked everyone, but then I suddenly thought.....
(I get the feeling that this kind of situation will be repeated in the future.)
I shook my head to get rid of that thought and received the food from Sarona. I passed the food to Purple Haired Bandit and Blond Haired Bandit, and they thanked me while crying.
[ [Thank you!! Thank you!!] ] (Purple & Blond)
[I think you will be able to reach the town if you go in that direction.] (Wazu)
I opened the map inside my head pointed to the direction of the closest town. Then the two of them disappeared in that direction after thanking me once again. Of course, the three guys also followed them, with some distance.
When I was watching their backs, Kagane’s voice reached my ears.
[A natural idol..... If we get careless.....] (Kagane)
Idol.....? Is that a word from Kagane’s former world? I don’t understand and I don’t particularly care either.
I went back to the group to enjoy dinner.
**Proofreader : Meihua**
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