Baggage Carrier 17
Hoss-san’s Mixed Meat Soup.
It had a somewhat nostalgic taste and was delicious.
Especially the mushrooms. Red mushrooms. I felt like you could add as many as you wanted.
Gather a ton, throw a ton in. That’s the right way.
It also made me crave some green onions.
Leafy greens and root vegetables weren’t bad either.
But they couldn’t beat the mushrooms.
The assorted meat also offered a variety of enjoyable textures.
Perhaps because it was scrap meat, it was quite fatty.
That added depth to the soup’s flavor. An unexpected benefit.
I’d avoided it because its origins were unknown, but I think I’ll try buying some next time.
Rell-san still hadn’t returned.
“That guy… Can’t be helped. Guess we’ll wait just a little longer.”
Ax-san sighed and went back into the tent.
“Will he be alright?”
“Don’t worry ’bout it. Rell sometimes likes ta be alone.”
“Even in the Dungeon?”
“Rell. He’s actually the son of a noble family in this country, ya know.”
“Eh?”
“Don’t know the details. But heard he grew up surrounded by lotsa older and younger sisters.”
“Lots… about how many does he have?”
“I dunno either. But he’s the only boy.”
“Does that make him the heir?”
“Nah. Seems the eldest daughter inherits the house.”
“I see.”
I was surprised at first, but in this world…
While racial discrimination exists, there’s no gender discrimination.
So, it’s perfectly normal for a woman to inherit.
That part still confuses me a little.
“He said there was always someone around him. That’s why he sometimes gets an overwhelming urge to be alone.”
“So right now too…”
“Ax knows that too.”
“I get that feeling. Sometimes you just want to be alone, right?”
Even though I live alone, that’s precisely why I understand.
At times like that, I just blankly watch the twilight or the early morning from the top of my tower home.
There’s a song that always plays in my head during those moments.
It’s Christopher Cross’s “Arthur’s Theme (Best That You Can Do).”
And that time is mine alone.
It’s something ordinary, yet special, that everyone has.
After a while, Rell-san returned.
Hoss-san warmed up the Mixed Meat Soup.
While enjoying the soup, Rell-san suddenly mentioned that his 14th younger sister is about my age.
He said she has a quiet personality, so she might get along well with me.
The 14th… Just how many sisters does he really have?
At least I know the 14th is a younger sister. Which means the ones after her are also younger sisters.
After… there probably are more. Hahahaha.
Apparently, that sister is also working hard to become a Seeker.
Furthermore, his sister has a Relic.
He mentioned that even among the many siblings, it varies whether they have a Relic or not.
Rell-san’s family doesn’t particularly emphasize Relics in the first place.
If you don’t have one, it can’t be helped. If you do, it’s a bonus.
Their thinking seems to be like that of merchants.
Once Rell-san finished eating, we washed and put things away.
I was surprised to see them use slimes for washing.
They skillfully diluted the slime’s dissolving mucus and used it to wash the soup bowls and pot.
They make just enough food to finish, avoiding leftovers.
I’m learning a lot, not just as a Seeker, but in general.
After using the restroom and getting ready for bed, I headed over to Mineha-san’s location.
It wouldn’t be good to approach her suddenly.
So, I called out from a slight distance.
“Mineha-san. Are you awake?”
“What is it?”
Mineha-san flew onto a rock and sat cross-legged.
She had taken off her armor and was dressed casually.
Wait, those bare legs… is she not wearing a skirt?
Also, her hair was slightly damp.
Could she have been washing up?
Was my timing bad?
“Sorry. Um, you seem okay.”
“Of course I am. What do you want? Is that all?”
“Um, Ax-san said he was sorry.”
“Hmph. Well, whatever.”
I thought she might complain, but her reply was curt.
Is she uninterested rather than bothered?
Maybe I should ask her something then.
“Actually, there’s something I wanted to ask.”
“What is it?”
“It’s about Mineha-san’s master. Ax-san’s mother.”
“About Master?”
“Did she ever say anything about Ax-san?”
The moment I asked, the look in Mineha-san’s eyes changed.
Huh.
“Why are you asking something like that?”
“Well… I was just a little curious…”
“Why are you curious?”
I felt Mineha-san’s wariness spike instantly.
Sigh—this isn’t going to work.
That was unexpected.
I asked because I thought she wasn’t interested.
“Sorry. It’s fine if you don’t want to answer.”
I quickly backed down.
As I turned to go back.
“Wait. Master did say it once. That she was hated by her son.”
“…”
“I wondered what that meant, but she said it couldn’t be helped. That what happened, the way things turned out… it was all Master’s fault.”
“…”
‘What happened’… was it the kidnapping?
Indeed, she was resented, and because of that, her son Ax-san was targeted.
But at that time, his mother, Emi-san, was away from home on a request.
An acquaintance Seeker rescued him. His mother returned a month later.
“What ‘what happened’ was… I don’t know. I wanted to know, but I couldn’t exactly pry that deep, you know. But I understood the reason she was hated.”
“You understood?”
“Yes… But you know. The fundamental reason Ax hates Master is because he doesn’t have a Relic. That’s something no one can do anything about.”
“You’re right.”
“I did feel a little sorry for him. Not having a Relic… for a Fairial like me, that’s like being told to die, so I sympathize.”
“If that’s the case…”
“But listen. Even if I understand, I don’t accept it. Even if he’s her biological son, she’s the benefactor who saved me and my mother. I can’t forgive him for hating my beloved Master.”
“Saved your lives… your benefactor?”
“That’s right.”
(But… I… didn’t know… 10 years ago…)
“Eh?”
“What?”
What was that just now?
Did I hear a voice in my head…?
“No, it’s nothing.”
“Hey, you. That. Your eyes.”
Mineha-san was looking at me strangely.
“? Is something wrong?”
Eyes?
“It disappeared. What was that?”
“?”
“Oh, well. Anyway, this, just like Relics, is something I absolutely cannot compromise on. That’s why I’ve decided not to get involved with Ax and the others anymore. I’m only accompanying them this time because it was Master’s order. After this, I’ll never see them again.”
That’s exactly what Ax-san said— Could it be…
“Were you eavesdropping?”
“What are you talking about?”
She feigned ignorance, which was unnatural for her.
If she truly had no idea, the usual Mineha-san…
…would have shown her displeasure and said something like, ‘What’s that supposed to mean?’
Nine times out of ten, she must have heard them.
I see. No wonder she reacted so indifferently to my relayed apology.
I let out a sigh and asked the same thing.
“So what should I do?”
“You can just stay as you are.”
“Understood. Well then, I’ll be going.”
I cut the conversation short.
As I started towards the tent, Mineha-san suddenly spat out words at my back.
“Still, you really are strange.”
What was that?
I can’t just let that slide.
“What do you mean by that?”
“It means you’re being a meddling busybody.”
“…I think so too.”
This, I truly believe. I should have just dismissed it as someone else’s problem.
And yet, I asked about a mother’s feelings towards Ax-san.
What am I even doing? Even I think I’m being unnecessarily nosy.
Perhaps sensing my feelings, Mineha-san looked exasperated.
“You can get burned sticking your nose where it doesn’t belong.”
“Well, things like that can happen.”
“You don’t get it, do you? In a Dungeon, it’s fatal. Meaning, you’ll die.”
“I’ll just make sure that doesn’t happen,” I replied firmly.
Mineha-san scoffed.
“Hmph. Well, do as you like. It has nothing to do with me.”
“Yes. I will.”
“Well then, good night.”
Mineha-san stood up and went back.
I headed to the tent as well.
Night.
I thought I felt the Dungeon shake—just once.