Chapter 185 - Chapter 184: We Are Strangers, Officially
The third month of Earth, the first week, Tuesday.
Mika had returned to Rish Village for a visit.
Naturally, Kistil and Nerisfeene accompanied Mika to Rish Village.
Kistil had been restless even before heading to Rish Village, counting the days until the day of reunion with her family.
When Mika and the others arrived at the village, a house to stay in during the visit was already prepared.
Mika had sent a letter to Amalia and Loretta informing them of the approximate schedule of the visit.
With that, he had spoken with the Village Head, arranged to rent the same house they had rented last year, and even had it cleaned beforehand.
It was an astonishing level of initiative.
"Kistil!"
"Mother!"
Since there was no need to clean, as soon as they arrived at the village, they went to meet Kistil's mother.
Mika thought it would be rude to intrude on her workplace, but given the circumstances, it was unavoidable.
Kistil had exchanged letters with her family and knew her current situation to some extent, but she must have been anxious not seeing them face-to-face.
Reunited, Kistil and her mother embraced and shed tears.
Other Cafeteria Ladies in the factory kitchen watched with smiles, and some were moved to tears themselves.
Sorry for interrupting your work.
Mika and Nerisfeene stayed away so as not to disturb Kistil, and spoke with Horatio.
"How is your work? I heard you look healthy in the letters."
"Yes, my health seems fine. There are some areas where my stamina is lacking, but Sister Radi is there."
Simply lifting heavy objects, it seems she inevitably causes trouble for those around her due to her lack of strength.
However, in return, she possesses cooking skills and knowledge, and is relied upon by the Cafeteria Ladies in the kitchen.
"It seems she originally worked as a cook in a cafeteria. The quality of meals and bento boxes served at the factory has improved, and everyone is happy."
"Is that so?"
Apparently, her mother used to be in charge of cooking at a cafeteria in the past.
The reason Kistil's cooking skills were recognized by Yaroibarov immediately was because she learned them from her mother.
Moreover, Kistil, who trained under Yaroibarov, displayed those skills at home as well.
As a result, her mother seems to have been influenced by that know-how as well.
"She slipped up and said the factory meals were more delicious than my cooking, and we had a few marital fights."
"T-That is...!"
Think it, but don't say it, absolutely!
It seems there have been several incidents where wives, hearing through the grapevine that their husbands accidentally slipped and said something during work chatter, kicked them out of the house.
Afterward, it seems they managed to resolve things somehow.
(Threads about bad food are fun to read, though.)
It would be bad if it developed into a real fight. ...Just because the food is bad.
As Mika thought this, Horatio's face became somewhat serious.
"...This is just my speculation."
Crossing his arms, he made such a preamble.
"Wasn't the original cause of her weak body something mental?"
Horatio glanced toward Kistil and her mother, his expression clouding slightly.
"It doesn't seem she was born weak. She seems to have worked normally before. It must be that the partner she married was bad. She seems to have been driven to a mental corner."
Perhaps Kistil's mother's weakness was not in her body, but in her heart.
Horatio seems to think so.
(I did think her heart was weak, but perhaps that was the biggest problem.)
While in the Royal Capital, Mika sometimes used [Heal], but it didn't feel like she was regaining her vitality.
But since coming to Rish Village, she is slowly regaining her strength, bit by bit.
(Is one reason that she is feeling positive about trying to start over in a new land?)
Perhaps she has been relieved of mental burdens by leaving her husband, Yorkades, and taking up work related to her specialty, cooking.
(In the Royal Capital, she couldn't move as she pleased and lived locked up inside the house all the time. No matter how many medicines she took or [Heal] she used, recovery was impossible. Her thoughts would fall into a negative spiral.)
She is probably still afraid of Yorkades' shadow right now.
Telling her that he is already dead, that Yorkades is gone, might be the best medicine.
But...
(Why would I know that? I can't say I killed him.)
I didn't deliver a final blow properly.
Looking back, I regret not having cut off his head right there.
It was a fatal wound, and I couldn't imagine there being a kind person there to use a [Potion] for him.
(When I return to the Royal Capital, should I ask the Information Broker Guild to investigate? ...Though, in terms of the situation, it would be obvious that I killed him.)
He died immediately after being taken over from the people of the Guild who were tailing him.
Anyone hearing this would say, "It's obviously Mika (that guy)."
And that is exactly the truth.
It was simply a bushy snake.
Let's just leave it alone.
Mika and Nerisfeene left Kistil and the others as they were and headed toward the church and Ninetiana's house.
It was the usual tour to distribute souvenirs, but this year, Ninetiana's house was empty.
Probably, since Dur grew up, she returned to work.
Ninetiana's work was not at the factory, but in the cotton fields.
Basically, spinning and weaving work at the factory is mostly done by women, while field work is mostly done by men.
However, one can choose either job based on their own wishes.
Of course, provided the person in charge, Horatio, and other leaders agree.
Thus, in the evening, everyone gathered at the house Mika rented.
From the Noisheim family: Amalia and Loretta.
From the Scobata family: Cherusis-san and her only son, Mosmir-kun.
The Scobata family seems to have moved from the northeastern border to Rish Village, the southeastern border, specifically last spring.
They became very close with the Noisheim family, and that is why they were invited today.
Of course, there is no relationship between Kistil and the Scobata family.
Blood relations? Absolutely not.
Kistil, despite this, hugged Mosmir-kun and shed tears.
However, Mosmir-kun seemed embarrassed or shy, worried about everyone's gaze.
He was saying things like "Haa-nashi-tee."
Wait, I'm getting a sense of deja vu.
"Kistil, let her go."
"......But..."
Mika offered a little help.
However, Kistil sniffled and wiped her tears but didn't seem to want to let go of Mosmir-kun.
Everyone let out a bitter smile.
By the way, Fee is also in Rish Village.
Currently, she should be in stealth mode on Mika's shoulder.
...Are you sitting there properly?
"Thanks to Mika-kun, I've been doing very well since coming to this village. The Factory Manager and Sister have been good to me... Really, how much can I thank... I can't... enough..."
As she said this, Kistil's mother... no, Cherusis-san, began to tear up.
"I didn't do anything special. I just left everything to the villagers, and I feel sorry about that."
Mika said so, but Cherusis-san shook her head.
Wiping her tears, she looked at Mika with a clear, bright smile.
"Everyone treats me well because of Mika-kun. Normally, people don't get treated so kindly by everyone. This might seem like a casual thing, but it is a very special thing..."
At Cherusis-san's words, Amalia and Loretta nodded.
Everyone here has struggled in some way.
That is why they must feel something.
(Or rather, who is the one who hasn't struggled the most?)
Protected by Amalia and Loretta, Mika was allowed to do as he pleased during his childhood.
As a student at the Academy and as an adventurer, he has been doing as he pleases quite a bit.
There were certainly dangers and hardships, but he has no memory of being in a state where he was completely trapped and helpless on his own.
"Well, it'll work out somehow."
And, it really did work out somehow.
That was his half-life.
He has no regrets.
"Well, well, let's stop the soggy talk. Kistil! You said you were going to make a feast today, didn't you? Is it okay to leave it to Nerisfeene?"
When Mika said that, Kistil finally let go of Mosmir-kun.
Mosmir-kun ran straight to hide behind Cherusis-san.
After that, Kistil cooked dinner with Cherusis-san, and she kept tearing up repeatedly during that time.
Amalia, Loretta, and Nerisfeene, being considerate, only helped lightly and chatted.
Mosmir-kun should be one year younger than Mika, but in height, he easily surpasses Mika.
However, perhaps having heard from Cherusis-san that he is a student at the Magic Academy, he seems a bit reserved or afraid of Mika.
So, Mika baited him with sweets.
When he offered sweets that he intended to take to Dur later, Mosmir-kun grew fond of Mika in an instant.
(As expected, children love sweets.)
In the first place, there aren't even sweets sold in Rish Village.
Even when in the Royal Capital, he probably couldn't have bought them.
Thinking it wasn't good for education to give too many at once, he only gave a few candies and cookies, but the effect was immediate.
The next day of such a pleasant gathering.
Mika had come deep into the forest of Rish Village.
There were no magic beasts in the front part of the forest, so he went straight in to search for them.
Once he found the magic beasts, he didn't defeat them immediately but lured them deeper and deeper.
Once he had lured them far enough and gathered enough numbers, the battle began.
"Ice Javelin!"
Using the mana gathered by Absorb Wing, over a hundred ice spears rained down, skewering countless monsters and magic beasts into the ground.
As collateral damage, several trees had their trunks gouged out and fell.
"Air Cutter!"
Dozens of invisible blades sliced through the magic beasts, sending blood flying.
As collateral damage, several trees had their trunks cut and fell.
"Iron Bullet!"
The monsters fell writhing under iron bullets fired like a machine gun.
As collateral damage, several trees...
They might sue us for environmental protection soon.
Well, such organizations probably won't exist for another few hundred years.
"Man, it's great that a magic beast forest is nearby."
As Mika dodged the monsters' attacks and cut them with Air Cutter, a comment slipped out.
He was starting to want to move to Rish Village a little bit.
Well, the benefit of moving to Rish Village is basically just this.
Even that isn't usually considered a benefit.
This year, Ninetiana didn't ask him to, but Mika came to thin out the monsters and magic beasts on his own initiative.
In fact, it would be no exaggeration to say that the main purpose of this year's visit was combat in this forest.
After all, there are few magic beast habitats near the Royal Capital, and competition among adventurers is fierce.
If he tried to do it as a request, chances were scarce.
Even so, it wasn't impossible to do nothing, but Mika's activity weight had shifted slightly toward commissioned requests and alchemy.
Naturally, the number of magic beast exterminations decreased.
(I don't know how much it increased in a year, but maybe I should make it like Modesse Forest.)
Modesse Forest, where almost all magic beasts were hunted due to the increase in adventurers.
They don't say they don't live there, but the numbers are quite low.
If we could reduce them that much, Rish Village would be safe too.
I don't know what impact it will have on the ecological pyramid, but monsters and magic beasts are difficult for ordinary people to handle.
If predators like magic beasts decrease and forest animals increase, villagers might be able to handle that.
If they can't, I'll tell Ninetiana and the Village Head to contact me.
Mika slaughtered monster after monster and magic beast after magic beast, moving deeper.
Beautiful particles of light danced like scales from Absorb Wing.
As he slaughtered the magic beasts, he found a pitch-black swarm.
A monkey-like form that reflected no light at all.
A figure with countless eyes glowing red brightly, evoking a sense of nostalgia.
It was a swarm of En Batamos.
"You were here too?"
Mika took out a Short Sword from his Magic Bag without letting his guard down, then put only the scabbard back in the bag.
En Batamos are quite fast, so dodging all attacks is a bit tough.
To block or deflect attacks, a Short Sword is useful.
When Mika scattered Iron Bullets, the bodies of several En Batamos were torn apart and blown away.
They were too crowded to dodge, it seems.
Even so, there still seemed to be twenty or thirty of them.
Or rather, since they look like a mass of shadows, it's hard to grasp the number.
Biu! Biubiu!
Dodging the attacks of several En Batamos that quickly moved to attack, he slashed their arms with a Short Sword and shot through their faces with Iron Bullets.
He sliced their sides while side-stepping and beheaded them as they passed.
Tracing beautiful trajectories with the light particles spilling from Absorb Wing.
He dove into a group of about five En Batamos, beheading them with a Short Sword and Air Cutter as he passed.
He caught the attack of an En Batamos that charged at his back with a Short Sword while turning around.
At the same time, he made a large hole in its torso with an Iron Bullet.
Biu! Biubiu! Zashu! Biu! Zashu! Biubiu! Zashu!
En Batamos attacked Mika without any sign of fear.
While dodging those many attacks, he counterattacked with a Short Sword.
Gashi!
Still unable to block them all, he finally blocked with his left gauntlet.
"Tch! Air Cutter!"
With that, he cut off the arm and torso of the attacking En Batamos.
Mika moved quickly and took a momentary breath.
"Phew... It's tough to handle all directions, as expected."
Even so, he jumped back into the swarm of En Batamos.
As the armor shop owner said when he bought it, even blocking with a gauntlet didn't cause any real damage.
With this, there is no problem.
He just needs to move faster and sharper.
Dodging En Batamos' attacks from all directions, he counterattacked using magic and a Short Sword.
One by one, En Batamos became Mika's prey.
Mika lured them deeper and deeper into the forest, slaughtering the magic beasts as if dancing.
And as the western sky began to turn red.
"...Well, that's enough for today."
Mika muttered to himself in the forest where nothing moved except him.
"Thank you for the meal."
After finishing dinner, Mika creaked the chair and leaned back against the backrest.
"Ahh... My stomach hurts."
"......No matter how much, Mika-kun..."
"You ate too much, Mika-sama..."
The two looked at Mika rubbing his stomach with exasperated eyes.
"I exercised a lot today, so I got hungry. Rather, why does my stomach get full so easily? I wish I could stuff more in."
His satiety center whispered "Don't do unnecessary things" in his heart.
Seeing Mika say even that, the two became even more exasperated.
Mika ate many loaves of bread that lasted long, bought in the Royal Capital, asking for refills again and again, and Kistil and Nerisfeene were worried that tomorrow's breakfast portion might run out.
"Um... I'm thinking of going grocery shopping tomorrow... Do you have any plans, Mika-sama?"
"Tomorrow? Nothing special. Kotontesse?"
When Mika asked, Nerisfeene nodded.
Right now, the bread that should have been enough had disappeared, so they needed to go shopping.
However, the two did not tell Mika that.
Unfortunately, only Kistil understood Nerisfeene's consideration.
In the Royal Capital, there would be no need to say such things.
Silently, Kistil and Nerisfeene would just go shopping tomorrow.
They would buy flour and diligently bake bread in the garden kiln together.
Rish Village also has a place to bake bread together.
However, lighting the kiln is determined by the day of the week, and you must make a reservation.
So, for a few days, they must buy bread that lasts from a bakery and get by.
In normal households where they can't easily go buy bread, when the bread runs out, they get by with Pan-mochi.
Hard bread-like things made only with flour, salt, and water, baked in a frying pan.
While Mika played "Look Away, Ho-i" with Fee to digest his meal, Kistil and Nerisfeene went to wash the dishes.
Since coming to this world, Mika had become a useless human who did no housework at all.
He was so useless that he didn't even clean his own room.
By the way, Mika and Fee's "Look Away, Ho-i" is something hard for onlookers to understand.
It starts with Mika's call of "Look away, Ho-i," but Fee runs away in a direction different from where Mika points.
The timing gets faster and faster, and "Ho-i, Ho-i, Ho-i!" speeds up.
Finally, it becomes a game where only "Ho-ho-ho-ho-ho-ho-ho-ho-ho-i!" can be heard, and Kistil and Nerisfeene can't even see Mika's hand movements.
And the win rate is even.
For Fee, who is light, it is probably easy to move after seeing Mika's movements.
However, since she often falls for Mika's feints, they are currently in an even match.
Perhaps there is a theory that she is intentionally losing? To prevent Mika from getting upset and refusing to play.
And when the two returned, he went to his own room.
From here, it was Mika's study time.
Mika took out a huge book he had struggled to carry from a large backpack placed beside the bed.
It was a book about Spaelement that cost a single gold coin.
This book.
It was so big that it wouldn't fit in the Magic Bag at all.
But for a month-long visit to Rish Village, there was no option not to bring it.
So, he had a special backpack made to fit this book, and Kistil and Nerisfeene carried it on their backs with a harness attached to Mika's front, and flew.
"Geez... It's too big."
It takes up so much space and is hard to read that he couldn't help but complain.
However, that was the only complaint.
He had no complaints about the content at all.
He had only read about half of it, but it was explained very carefully and clearly.
The witch at the magic tool shop introduced by Paraleira had praised this book as a "masterpiece written about Spaelement," and Mika agreed completely.
"To have such a deep understanding and then explain it to someone who doesn't know from scratch. The author isn't an ordinary person."
It is easy to convey difficult things as they are.
You can just line up technical terms without caring if the other party understands.
But since he is trying to make people with no proper knowledge understand, the struggle of the person who wrote this must be unimaginable.
It requires at least knowledge of alchemy and mana, yet he has lowered it to a level that Mika, who has only been studying alchemy for less than a year, can understand.
He thought it should be read as a textbook by everyone involved in alchemy.
Mika turned the cover page.
It read, "Understanding Spaelement, Author: Adelriese Traet."
There were no grandiose phrases, just "Understanding."
With that one word, he felt all the thoughts and confidence the author had put into it.
"There are amazing people out there."
Thanks to that, the rest will be easy.
Well, easy doesn't mean reading is easy.
If it were normal-sized books, ten volumes would be fine, but...
"In any case, I have to read it again this month."
He hadn't even finished the first round, but if possible, he wanted to read it again and fill in the parts that slipped his mind after reading it once.
The amount of information was indeed too huge; it was certain he couldn't memorize it all in one reading.
And so, Mika read that book on his bed.
Until the fatigue from the magic beast extermination took its toll, and he fell asleep without realizing it...
The next morning, since he did such a thing in such a cold season, Mika caught a fever as expected.
And the part he read last night didn't enter his head at all.
And furthermore, he naturally couldn't go on the promised shopping trip.
Mika's house's bread ran out, but Kistil and Nerisfeene baked something flat and hard like nan, and somehow managed to get by.
I'm sorry...