Episode 114: Those Who Go Hither and Thither in Busyness
Autumn.
The festive atmosphere of the Harvest Festival is over, and now it’s the time for work, work, and more work to prepare for winter.
In farming villages, they mainly slaughter livestock that can’t survive the winter, making large amounts of dried and salted meat.
The remaining organs are apparently stewed and eaten. Well, offal doesn’t keep.
Normally, meat is a rare treat in farming villages, so everyone is excited to eat meat during this season.
Speaking of which, kids from the countryside who become Striders often say, “I want the luxury of eating meat every day.” Eating meat is quite a reward for the poor.
And… Midford.
Midford is a city.
City dwellers are a bit richer than people in farming villages.
It’s not just a difference like living in the northeast versus living in Tokyo, it’s more like… people in cities in this era are like the upper-middle class.
Well, of course, their quality of life is much lower than the upper-middle class on Earth, but proportionally speaking, people who can live in cities are in the upper ranks of the middle class, like the top 20-30 percent.
Come to think of it, using Tokyo residents as an example of rich people is strange. Most people who bother to live in Tokyo are those who couldn’t make it in their hometowns.
Doesn’t Tokyo feel like a gathering of dropouts who couldn’t succeed in their village societies?
Never mind that.
Anyway, the residents of Midford are also preparing for winter, but… they don’t do the work themselves.
In cities, there is economic activity.
That means butchers are making and selling a lot of Preserved Food, woodcutters from outside the city are selling firewood, and clothing stores are selling Winter Fabric…
It’s economic activity that you don’t see in farming villages or the countryside.
In the countryside, there’s bartering and each household does everything themselves, but in cities like Midford, there’s a division of labor, and individuals purchase the results with money. It’s the first step towards a civilized society.
Anyway, the end of Autumn is the last busy season of the year.
Everyone was working hard…
Meanwhile, I was…
“Drinking beer while everyone is working at the Guild… is delicious!”
I was slacking off magnificently…
The Striders Guild.
It’s an organization equivalent to the Adventurers Guild in typical fantasy worlds.
But the reality is pathetic. It’s just a yakuza boss gathering stray, rootless vagrants who are nothing more than semi-mercenaries and semi-bandits called Striders.
Such a Guild was now in a complete uproar…
I don’t need to explain again that the work of Striders is diverse, right?
It’s not some mysterious occupation where you just kill Monsters, even though you call yourself an “adventurer”…
Striders are a profession that focuses less on combat, with roots in vigilante groups and temporary mercenaries.
That’s why.
I think people who can consider that there must be some reason why the profession of Strider exists and thrives in a world where “mercenary groups” exist are smart.
So, what? Striders have work even without wars or conflicts.
Hunting Magic Beasts and animals for meat, of course, but also defeating pests and Monsters to ensure the safety of roads. Patrolling and night watch are also part of the job.
There’s also carrying luggage, helping with construction, escorting merchants, and delivering letters. Gathering Medicinal Herbs and helping in fields aren’t unheard of either.
However, this is such an era, such a world. You absolutely need to be able to fight because you use force everywhere.
It’s not that you’re not a Strider if you can’t fight, it’s just that it’s a world where you die if you can’t fight. Sadly, you can’t survive if you don’t fight.
And… so.
Such Striders become busier as the people in the city get busier.
Don’t people in the city need escorts when they travel? That’s where Striders come in.
What about carrying the city people’s luggage? What about escorting the luggage? Yes, Striders.
What about the goblins that are interfering with the harvest in the nearby farming village? Wild boars have appeared too! Yes, yes, Striders.
Well, that’s how it is.
So, the Guild is very busy.
As the people in the city rush around towards the end of the year, the Striders are also rushing around with sudden requests and such…
“Huh?! Three deer by tonight?! That’s impossible… hunting is unpredictable!”
“Please, somehow…!”
“What happened to the Guiding Hawk?!”
“They’re currently hunting a Roc that suddenly appeared on the highway…”
“Yeah… it’s tough for us…”
Hmm!
Glug glug beer!
Delicious!
“Is there anyone free?! The Winter Fabric hasn’t arrived at Madame Orianne’s shop yet!”
“Impossible! We’re swamped with requests from the Black Brigade!”
“We can’t either! Another request from the Black Brigade! Transporting ore! Don’t you have people over there?!”
“No, you idiot! That’s why we’re gathering them!!”
Hmm!
Glug glug beer!
Delicious!
“…Brother Bull, can we kill that guy?”
“If you can, please do. It’s really annoying to see him like that when we’re so busy.”
Ah, ah! I can’t hear you, voices from the sidelines!
Beer is so good!!!