High Spec Village - 041 (Patreon)

Okay, seems like I won't be buying the LN this month, tbh I used this month's patreon money along with a little I had saved to buy a multifunctional laser printer. A cousin lended me what I was missing.  But yay, I can sell copies and prints now.

Also, I don't know how you say it in english, monographs? Sheets with illustrations on the front and text on the back. Someone who used to have a stationary store 'nearby' (not really but not too far) sold me a pack he had stored. I wasnt going to buy it since I pretty much spent all my money on the printer, but he said I could pay him next month, so I took it. I've been sorting them out these past couple days and I think it was a good investment, there are about $250 USD (distribuitor price) worth of them and I got them for $110 USD.

Now I just need some kind of program to make a data base of them. There are literally thousands of them, and I currently just have them stacked up in a chair. I think I'll also have to buy some sort of bookcase thingy to store them.

Anyway, enough of that. Here's the next chapter, I'll try to get the next one today, or at least have it almost completed today. Be that as it may, I'll really give my best on saturday and translate all day.

Ahh, and also, I think it was Vinny who asked me about drawings. There's a friend I have that I asked if she could draw some novel-inspired illustrations, and she said she would think about it, so she might. (Not the one I posted the video some time ago, that one said she wasn't interested.)

  

Episode 41: A night in Orn

After refusing the request from the consul regent girl, Yamato went back to the Urd stall in the bazaar of Orn city.

"Yamato-sama, welcome back."

"You took a long time, Yamato-niichan! " 

"Yeah."

Since a long time had passed since Yamato went out, the stall was cleared of most items that were sold out.

Today as well, the sales had gone pretty well.

Perhaps they sold better since the customers didn't have to see my unfriendly face? At least that's how it felt for Yamato.

"It’s been going better than planned. You can take the day off tomorrow as a reward."

He told them the plans for tomorrow.

There was still a stock of products from Urd left.

However, as a reward for their daily efforts, Yamato decided that it would be best to leave the following day as a holiday.

So, after preparing some pocket money from the earnings from the sales, he handed it over to the children.

He told them they should take it slowly tomorrow and enjoy sightseeing and shopping in the town.

"Oh, cool! " 

"Yamato-niichan, you sure are generous! " 

"Being so generous, you sure you're okay!? Spears may rain tomorrow! " 

"Just don't be careless, the city is a dangerous place."

He prepared a dagger for the children to use in self-defense. He also instructed them to use a whistle signal if they by any change encounter danger.

Being in a city, it was indeed hard to make use of a crossbow.

However, he knew the children were fast and would quickly escape if they encountered a 'similar opponent'.

They should be fine since they are already hunters who risk their lives every day hunting Big Rabbits and Wild Boars. Also... what's with the spears raining...?

"Alright, let's go back to the inn."

After packing up the rest of the items in the bazaar's stall, they returned to the inn.

After this, they would take a shower to clean themselves, and after eating dinner at the inn, they would go to bed.

For Yamato, going to bed early was especially important for the children, seeing as they were in their growing period.

It is said that sleeping during midnight is when the growth hormone is most secreted. They need to balance training their body and resting properly to promote a healthy growth.

"Hey, kid."

In the middle of their return trip, Gaton's voice called to Yamato.

"Jii-san, what is it?"

"Care to have 'a drink' with this old man tonight? " 

Gaton invited him to have a drink after dinner. He said he wanted to go to a nearby bar after the children went to sleep.

"Sure, I don’t mind."

Since Yamato didn’t dislike liquor, he saw no reason to refuse. He also wanted to see the state of this world, of Orn in the nights.

And so, it was decided that he would go to drink at night with the old Gaton.

◇

Leaving the children in the care of Liscia in the inn, He and Gaton left the inn and moved to a nearby downtown area.

From that place it was easy to rush towards the inn in case something happened.

Besides, Liscia and the children grew up in a remote village that had quite dangerous surroundings. They had high awareness of dangers during the night and would react swiftly.

"Good, my usual seat is free."

Led by Gaton, they arrived to a bar.

Even while comparing it with other stores, this was just an ordinary and standard drinking bar.

However, the insides of the bar were filled with energy, and a rich aroma from spices drifted away from the kitchen. It was a shop with a nice atmosphere.

"Have you been here before? " 

"When I came to Orn some years ago to do some work."

"I see."

Traveling wasn’t the favorite thing for Gaton, who hated riding.

Still, he said he traveled to this city before for a request, after all, he was one of the best blacksmiths in the continent.

And at that time, this was a tavern he frequented.

"Cheers, to the good sales we've had so far."

"Yeah."

After pouring the liquor that was brought into a mug, Gaton lifted it up and cheered. Its taste was sour, a liquor made from fruits that resembled red wine.

Since they just had dinner along with the children at the inn, the alcohol was drank without much resistance.

The same as in the village of Urd, the food and seasonings were mainly western styled. And even up until this moment, Yamato hadn’t seen a signboard written in japanese in Orn.

"By the way, you came back this afternoon making a troubled face, did something happen? " 

While drinking, Gaton asked Yamato. Since they didn’t tell lies, the Mountain Clan People were very straightforward with their questions.

However, since Yamato disliked beating around the bush, he liked that side of Gaton.

"It's not really a big deal..."

Briefly explaining the uproar in which he was involved, Yamato told him about what had happened this afternoon.

That after being led by Lacq, he met Orn's acting regent, a girl named Isis. About the mysterious assassins' group.

Obviously, all the while being careful to keep his voice down so that the people around them could not hear the conversation.

"Quite the reckless guy, as always."

"I didn’t do much. I also refused the request, so it has nothing to do with us."

"That might be the case, but you still have that troubled face."

"I see..."

Perhaps, deep down, Yamato was still worried about those events.

He remembered the serious face of the young girl acting in stead of the city consul, the girl who tried to appeal to the "Sage in the north" in order to catch a chance that would make them not fall into a crisis.

"Ohh, could it be... Gaton!? " 

It was then.

A Mountain Clan man approached from inside the bar.

He was one of Gaton's old craftsman pals, a glass craftsman who lived in this city of Orn.

"You sure have gotten old! " 

"I'm one year younger than you! " 

The pair of bearded mountain clan old men greeted each other with their hands on each other’s shoulders.

Seeing them like that, it was hard to know which was Gaton. They both looked the same. With faces resembling each other that much, it was likely they were distant relatives.

The Mountain Clan man joined, and the three of them drank liquor as they chatted together.

"How's the economy in Orn? " 

"Not really bad. It’s just..."

The glass craftsman answered Gaton's casual question.

―――― 

Since a few months ago, merchants and commodities of other countries have forced their way into the city of Orn.

That other party has sold items while ignoring profits, throwing the market into a turmoil.

In addition, the Consul has fallen ill and is currently unconscious. So, he hasn’t been able to attend the official meetings in the Chamber of Commerce.

And as a result, the confusion is further spreading in each association, including the glass workers association.

――――

Indeed... is the empire even trying to hide their schemes at this point...?

Most likely, it was a merchant backed by the empire the one who forcefully entered the city.

It was a great opportunity for that merchant to expand his name into the city of Orn.

And by having the backing of a large country, his profits would be returned in the long run.

And with that being the case, Orn's personal stores were not able to compete. It was a dire situation that they couldn’t overcome unless they cooperated with each other and with the Consul.

"But, it's okay! " 

After finishing his story, the glass craftsman confidently said.

"What makes you feel so sure? " 

"Ah, because Isis-sama is in this city now."

"The acting regent girl..."

"Yeah... she is a sincere person, unusual for a human, and Isis-sama is also a hard-working person..."

The old craftsman went further into detail, answering Gaton's question.

――――

Certainly, the consul regent Isis was still young.

But she loved this city more than anyone, and she kept doing her best even skipping sleeping sometimes.

Unlike the consuls of the past and the knights, she listened without distinction to commoners and craftsmen.

He said that she never spoke in lies and that she was seriously doing her best to manage the city.

So, even with the issue about the empire's merchant, he was sure the merchants’ associations would be fine.

――――

The old craftsman praised the regent girl almost as if he was praising his own child.

It was an uncommon sight to see a craftsman going that far with the praises in a big city like Orn.

Perhaps, even the citizens recognized the passion of the Consul's daughter after knowing her for many years. 

"But, Isis-sama is too serious... I'm worried about what would happen to her if she's involved in a fight."

It was indeed dangerous for that girl to be so straightforward.

The knight guards around her were strong, but not ideal to counter sneaky measures and traps. 

The current Consul's state, her father's, was proof of that.

As things stood, it was just a matter of time before the city of Orn... before that girl fell into a trap from the empire.

――――Indeed... unless someone helps her.

"I remembered I had something to do. I'll go back first."

"Okay... we'll stay drinking a bit more. We might take our time..."

Leaving Gaton and the old craftsman behind, Yamato stood from his seat.

◇

After leaving the bar, the night's breeze embraced Yamato as he made his way towards the inn.

Although flourishing as a trade city, the traffic at night in Orn was little and more so in a back alley.

Most likely, the acting regent would be working hard at this time instead of taking it slowly.

……huh?

Feeling the presence of a person in front of the inn, Yamato stopped his feet.

Just in case, he made sure he had the knife on his waist.

However, his alertness fades as soon as he notices a familiar figure.

"What's wrong? Coming this late at night?"

"Sorry for the inappropriate hour, Yamato-sama... I was waiting for you."

Waiting for him in the alley in front of the inn, a beautiful girl draped in a cloak came out... Isis, the consul regent.