Chapter 244: Sea Monsters
“Rest? Is it really okay for you to say something like that?”
Celestine looked slightly surprised at Rest’s mention of monster hunting.
“Even though you are a landowner, you are not a lord. You have no obligation to do such things…”
“Hmm… Well, I thought it would be fine,” Rest replied, scratching his head lightly and shrugging his shoulders.
“From what I’ve heard, it seems the lord isn’t going to take any action for the village… Ignoring it just doesn’t sit right with me. I can’t enjoy the hot springs properly.”
Rest had planned to stay in the village for another two or three days to enjoy the hot springs. However, if he were to abandon the villagers in distress… especially the sight of crying children, he wouldn’t be able to fully relish the experience.
“And besides… I can’t bear the thought of not being able to eat that fish dish. The sashimi was delicious.”
It would be troublesome if the fish were to stop being caught. He would miss out on the delightful sashimi.
(It’s not that I’m being swayed by emotions; I just want to eat it. This isn’t for Shoko or anything like that.)
He wasn’t sure who he was making excuses to, but Rest kept those thoughts to himself.
“If you say so, Rest, then I will do everything I can as well,” Celestine replied.
“I feel bad about that, but… you really have no reason to get involved, do you?”
“No, not at all… It seems there are various business opportunities hidden in this village. I’m doing this purely for profit.”
Celestine also seemed to see value in this fishing village in her own way.
Even though they were on vacation, both Rest and Celestine found themselves working. In the end, they were both a kind of workaholic. In his previous life, Rest had juggled multiple part-time jobs while being a student, and even after reincarnation, he had dedicated himself to studying, practicing magic, and fulfilling his duties as a noble. Celestine, too, had been diligent in her studies since childhood as a daughter of the Duke’s House, engaging in various lessons. After growing up, her days had been filled with work. Neither of them was the type to simply enjoy a vacation.
“Then, can you tell me anything else you know about the monsters?” Rest asked.
“Um, well…”
He gathered information about the monsters from the girl in front of him, her mother, and the villagers who had been listening nearby. It seemed that no one had clearly seen the monster, but they believed it resembled a large shark or sea snake. Its length was far greater than that of a fishing boat, and just swimming through the water created waves that could capsize a vessel. While it didn’t actively attack humans, simply swimming around was causing problems for the fishermen.
“It doesn’t prey on humans… so it’s a bit different from a man-eating shark, huh?”
What came to Rest’s mind were orcas and whales. In his original world, orcas were known as the strongest marine predators, often referred to as the “gangsters of the sea.” Surprisingly, they rarely attacked humans. It seemed that orcas understood that humans were less fatty and therefore less tasty compared to seals, and they would be culled if they attacked humans. Though there were instances of mistaken identity or playful accidents leading to fatalities, it wasn’t a common occurrence. Whales, too, were not known to attack humans. Their diet consisted of small fish and squid, and while there were accidents where fishermen or divers might get swallowed, they would quickly be spat out.
“Perhaps they are after the fish that the fishermen are catching,” Celestine suggested.
“Still… we can’t just leave it be. There are already injured people, after all.”
Even if the monster had no malicious intent, they had to take action since humans were suffering. Rest was firmly on the side of humanity; he had to prioritize protecting people over marine creatures.
“By the way… do you know where and when the monster appears?” he inquired.
“Um… I’m not really sure…”
The villager pondered for a moment before responding.
“The times when attacks occurred have been varied. It seems the monsters are more likely to appear further offshore, which is why we fish near the village…”
“Uwaaaaaaaahhh!”
A scream suddenly pierced through their conversation. Turning their gaze toward the sound, they saw fishermen on a boat in the sea in a state of panic.
“There it is! The monster has appeared!”
“Get the boat back! We’ll be capsized again!”
“Was it good luck or bad luck… to have it show up so suddenly?”
Rest kicked off the ground and leaped into the air, using magic to propel himself toward the sea.