CH 36

36. Megane-kun, on His Fourth Night 

「About halfway there」 

Apparently even the worst carriage trip ever has a turning point.

The coachman who’s affiliated with the assassins… he doesn’t disclose his name, saying 「I don’t talk about my profession」 as his reason, though he does tell us about the distance of the trip.

The sun has sunk. The sky is completely dark. Since we use the night to let the horses rest and catch some sleep, this is as far as today takes us. We’re leaving on the first sign of dawn.

「My hip is killing me…」 

Everyone got off the carriage. As Chace, the small-time bully, stretches his body whilst sitting, his bones make cracking sounds. Oh, I know that feeling. After all, everyone here  swayed back and forth inside the carriage together. If you ask me, I’d rather be on foot. Or I would have given up early. One thing is for sure though, I don’t really like it when I’m with people I’m not that familiar with.

「Ah, Chace-kun. Should I fix you?」 

「…yeah, please do」 

Being offered so by the assassin wannabe Cherry, Chace decided to pick the fruit rather than the facade. Even though he made a strong impression by showing his backbone on the first day, when the second day rolled in, he became more open. Well, I get that too. What a really tiresome person.

Cherry emits a soft light with her right hand then presses it on Chace’s waist.

——Recovery magic.

Apparently, Cherry has a 「Magician Gift」 and can already use some spells on her own.

Well, it’s common sense not to inquire of someone about their 「Gift」, so that’s the extent of what I know. 

By the way, she’s extremely weak with carriage due to motion sickness, but it seems like she manages with her recovery magic. She sure looks refreshed when she’s off the carriage.

I took a turn after Chace. Since my whole body is also aching, I could really use some of her time. After all, Getting treated by her magic makes a whole lot of difference.

And yet again today, we camp out on the side of this endless road. The place is chosen by random, but at least we have a place to rest. The view is clear around here and we can spot a magic beast right away if they showed up. There’s also a river nearby, so we can get a supply of drinking water immediately.

「Oh, Eil」 

The daughter of the underground boss Florentine, with a big bucket filled with water she drew from the river on her hand, calls out to me who’s preparing my bow next to the bonfire the coach uncle set up.

「Won’t you hunt something other than birds? I’m already starting to crave for rabbits.」 

On  the fourth day, everyone  has their own roles to perform.

The coachman takes care of the horse, I’m the one in charge of looking for food, and that pretty much explains it. Or rather, the uncle has been driving all day, so I think he should just get his rest at night. Chace, for a hoodlum, he’s surprisingly good at cooking. He’s thorough with his work and his foods are tasty, so we leave the Chef’s work to him. Florentine is the one in charge for drawing water and all the muscle work. For someone her size, she packs quite an unbelievable strength. I’m pretty sure I can’t lift that bucket she’s carrying with her arms. Cherry is the  most worn out person from the trip, with her serious motion sickness torturing her. It’s really painful just looking at her. She can fix the symptoms with magic, but it seems like she can’t recover her stamina. Her recovery magic is all we can ever ask from her.

And, the thing that they demand from me is of course, my capacity as a hunter.

In this long journey where our food is basically preserved foods like dried jerks and hard bread, it seems like the request of having a plate with fresh meat in it is pretty high. Well, even without them asking me, I alone would still hunt for meat. I like meat, after all. But well, they were the one who came to me with their eyes burning red.

「Birds are easier targets though.」 

At night, birds stay on trees and sleep. Since I can see them with this 「Megane」’s 「Night Vision」 , they’re basically fish in a barrel to me. Really, what a super convenient Megane.

「Bored of birds?」 

「I won’t beseech luxury. I like birds too. However, I like rabbits more.」 

Aah, is that so. I got it. It’s a matter of preference.

「I can get one or two if it is at least dusk, but it’s night already. If I start looking for rabbits now, I’m not sure I can make it back in time for dinner. Willing to wait?」 

There’s the hunting part, the skinning part, and the bloodletting part too, so it would really take a lot of time. I’m pretty hungry already, I want to take a grub as soon as possible. In addition, for all that swaying in the carriage, i’d really like to rest my beaten body 

「……Nnu. My hunger can’t wait.」 

After stroking her belly and being torn between eating bird meat now or rabbit meat later, Florentine decided that she can’t wait that long.

「Oi」 

Ah, Chace came. ——As expected. tired from the trip, the hoodlum and the boss’ daughter stopped being at odds with each other. I understand that, you two. bickering would only result in more fatigue, right?

「It’s disgusting having the same opinion with this thing, but I also want to eat some rabbit. So, how about we do it like this?」 

After listening to Chace’s suggestion, I can see his point. If so, maybe I can exert some effort on this one.

「You have a good head. Your crafty nature at work, eh?」 

「Zip it red eye. ——So? You think that’ll work?」 

Yeah.

「In the first place, I chose birds because they aren’t that hard to get. I’ll go and try to hunt some.」

Upon finishing the hunting plan and listening to their request, I stood on my feet.

If we go to the woods some distance from here, there should be at least  birds to get. I still don’t know if there’s a rabbit there, but that’s why I’ll have to go there and check.

.

Right after we reached the woods, I let an arrow loose for the pheasant on top of a tree.

「That’s some skill you got there. I can’t see shit out here.」 

Chace is impressed albeit half dazed.

Rest assured. Without 「megane」  at hand, I won’t be able to see anything as well. How else would I detect something like a bird sleeping soundly?

「Just one for today?」 

We usually hunt down two with the number of people in our traveling group, but today we have other plans.

「Yup, gotta make some room for the rabbit. Then, I leave the rest to ya.」 

Stating these words before  immediately returning to the campsite with the pheasant on his hand. All the while foraging the grasses on his way. It seems like he’s familiar with edible wild plants, perhaps because he can cook. Even though he looks just like some hoodlum. What is that if not a surprise?

「…Well, then. Is there any rabbit?」 

Taking the opposite direction from him, I delve even deeper into the forest.

Chace’s suggestion was simple; Hunt a bird, dress and blood it so it can be cooked. While the meal is being prepared, I’m going for the rabbit so it can be cooked later. Something like that.

So first, get tonight’s meat, then search for the demanded meat. In other words, it’s a two stage preparation.

——Just my luck, it was within my 「sight」.This time I went for the normal rabbit instead of a Splinter Fang Hare, and with that we could have a hearty dinner. I’m grateful for the life it gives.

Mabbo here

So, offline classes started earlier this week. How did it went? I wouldn’t know, since I actually scheduled this post from a week ago.

Nothing much to say here, since I don’t know what happened in the… future? Past?? If I write this note in the past and it’s posted a week from then, which is now, how do I address the things that happen in between? Is it my past as I am the narrator, or is it my future as I am the author??

No use thinking about it, huh.

Well then.