Chapter 112 - Preparing for the Harvest Festival
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"I feel like I'm suddenly exhausted."
"Me too."
After finishing the measurements at Elgis-san's house, Flora and I had been released by the women and were on our way home.
"Even though we just had measurements taken and had a light tea."
There was nothing in particular for us to do, but it was more tiring than going hunting.
As expected, when women gather, their energy is incredible. They pried into everything from how Flora and I started dating to how we met.
Once that was over, it was about how we're living now, what we used to do in the past, and so on.
Anyway, the topics shifted very rapidly.
As I was walking while thinking that, Flora, who was walking beside me, murmured.
"...Aldo-san, you looked happy being surrounded by the women, didn't you?"
"Ehh! That's not true!"
Looking at Flora's expression, her lips were pouted, and she seemed somewhat dissatisfied.<
Is she jealous of me? If so, it means Flora has that much of a desire for monopoly over me, which makes me nothing but happy.
But right now, more than that, I need to correct the misunderstanding and properly put my feelings into words to convey them.
I stepped in front of Flora and said as if looking her straight in the eye.
"I love Flora!"
"!? A-Ah, um, I'm sorry. I just felt like teasing you a bit, I wasn't seriously sulking..."
When I said that, Flora suddenly turned red and began to panic.
Eh, was that so? I thought for sure she had gotten angry like that time at Kurune's house...
"Um—I'm sorry to interrupt while things are heating up, but Aldo-san, do you have a moment?"
While I was surprised by Flora's reaction, Kyle suddenly called out.
"Whoa! Kyle!"
"Yes, it's Kyle."
"A-Ah, um, Kyle-kun, did you hear that just now?"
"Eh? Hear what?"
"No, if you didn't hear it, then it's fine."
Hearing Kyle's words, Flora exhaled in relief.
"Isn't that great, Flora-san? Being able to get the words you wanted properly."
"You were listening after all!"
Damn, this guy was listening from the start. He's got quite the personality.
But Flora, turning red from being teased, is also very cute... wait, this is no time to be staring blankly. If I stay on the defensive like this, Kyle will keep messing with me forever.
"So, Kyle, is your business about tomorrow's hunt?"
"Yes, it's almost the Harvest Festival. We have to secure a lot of meat in preparation for the festival."
"Understood. Is meeting at the square tomorrow morning as usual fine?"
"Yes, but Master said to come with thorough equipment because we'll be entering a different place than usual tomorrow."
"...The deep mountains, huh."
If it's a place that requires thorough equipment, it would be the mountains further back than usual. There are more monsters there than in the places where we usually hunt.
"Yes, there's a possibility of monsters appearing, so caution is necessary. Though, for Aldo-san, who is a former adventurer and has that much skill with the bow and sword, there probably isn't much to worry about."
"No, no, we're entering unfamiliar mountains. We can't be careless."
Since I had investigated independently to some extent, I knew what kind of monsters lived there, but I hadn't covered everything. I didn't have a detailed grasp of the terrain either, so I couldn't underestimate it.
No matter how confident one is in their combat skills, if they lack knowledge, they can suffer unexpected blunders.
"Then, I'll be waiting at the usual time tomorrow."
"Got it. Thanks for the message."
Flora and I saw off Kyle as he walked away with light steps.
◆
The day after finishing the measurements. I woke up earlier than usual.
Perhaps because the sun hadn't fully risen yet, the room was dark. Even for preparing for the hunt, it was still an early time to get up, but strangely, my eyes were clear.
Is it because my head understands that we're entering mountains where monsters are likely to appear? I feel like my senses are sharper than usual.
It was like this on the nights before expected combat with monsters during my adventurer days too. Does it mean my body is preparing for battle?
I gave a wry smile at my body, which seemed to still remember the sensation, and as I tried to get up, I noticed a weight on my right arm. When I turned my face to the side, Flora was sleeping while clinging to my right arm.
"Suu... suu..."
I thought we were sleeping while holding hands yesterday, but it seems she had started clinging like this at some point.
Seeing Flora sleeping with such a completely trusting expression made me feel happy and healed.
I savored Flora's cute sleeping face for a while, and as I tried to slowly pull out my right arm, I realized something.
My right arm was sandwiched between Flora's bountiful breasts.
Even through the clothing, I could certainly feel the warmth and softness. If I moved my arm a little, I could feel it even more vividly.
To be honest, I wanted to feel that softness more. But if I did something like that now, my 'son' would become energetic and things would get out of hand.
Since we were entering new mountains today and I wanted to prepare thoroughly, I had to avoid that.
I averted my eyes from the temptation of Flora's deep cleavage and slowly pulled out my arm.
"Nn, nnn..."
The slightly suggestive voice leaking from Flora's mouth and the softness of the breasts I touched were so pleasant that I almost put it back, but I endured it with willpower.
I pulled out my arm, but Flora didn't particularly wake up and was sleeping soundly.
Having confirmed that, I slipped out of bed so as not to wake her and properly covered Flora's body with the futon.
I felt like I had fought a tougher opponent than a monster since morning.
Thinking that, I moved to the storage room to check my hunting equipment.
Entering the storage room, I checked the condition of the bow and arrows I had maintained yesterday.
When I plucked the string I had strung with my finger, it made a taut sound.
I checked the feathers I had attached to the arrows one by one with my fingers, and after confirming they weren't broken, I put the arrows back into the quiver one by one.
"Yeah, no problems with the bow or arrows."
Then I picked up the sword hanging in the room.
Of course, it wasn't the Dragon Slayer mithril sword I received from the King, but a general sword for self-defense.
When I pulled the sword from its scabbard, it reflected the faint morning sun that had entered and gave off a dull gray glow.
The length and weight were similar to the mithril sword, but its hardness and ease of use were beyond comparison.
"Just in case, I'll do some practice swings..."
There was still time. I put the sword back in its scabbard and went outside without making a sound.
◆
Outside, where the sun had risen and become bright, I swung my sword single-mindedly.
There were no beautiful forms like those of a knight. As a former orphan and former adventurer, I had never learned such refined swordsmanship.
I had actually met knights and seen the forms of former knights who became adventurers, but I didn't think they suited my style, so I didn't try to steal and learn them.
Therefore, my sword is just self-taught. If I had to say, it's like I arranged all kinds of adventurer sword strokes into my own style.
I moved my arms single-mindedly, as if tracing the angles and speeds I envisioned.
As expected, perhaps because I hadn't been swinging a sword lately, the speed and sharpness I envisioned were lacking.
I corrected it many times, but it seems I can't match it perfectly like in my prime.
That felt a bit frustrating and irritating.
It's probably true that my strength has dropped, as Zoack pointed out.
I know that the strength of my prime isn't necessary for my current life, but considering 'what if' scenarios, it's better to have fewer discrepancies.
That said, impatience is forbidden. I continued to swing my sword slowly and carefully, as if to regain the sensations of my body.
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